Through all of our high school careers, bathroom graffiti has been a norm. Every bathroom in the school has some form of it, whether it be a bird, a shroom, a “did you come in here to vape or go to the bathroom” tally chart, and an endless amount of “Juul Room” innuendos. While school staff wants the artwork to be put to an end, it’s unlikely it will.
DHS school principal, Kit Moran, believes it is extremely hard to catch a vandaliser. There is no way to know who drew or wrote something, or when it was even drawn. Moran believes school bathroom graffiti is not normal: “artists tag their artwork, no one tags what they do in this school unless it’s for an art class.”
The ”artists” tell their side of the story
While most people liked what they did and didn’t feel the need to do the same thing again, they may contribute if the opportunity presented itself. Another joke with a funny response will be written, either by someone just starting their graffiti career or a serial artist. A funny drawing, an emotional sentence, and a drug reference may always decorate the school bathrooms.
BACK THEN: 1979
Kit Moran has seen it all during his 40-year teaching and administrative career. Back then, much worse was written in the stalls: demeaning language, racial slurs, homophobic rants, and even death threats.
Occasionally, Moran said, police would have to get involved. Dexter may have graffiti, and not all of it is pleasant, but Moran feels it [graffiti] is much better and safer than what he has seen before.
Most Common
According to daytime custodian Maria Mast, the most common things are “F***…. [someone or something]” or a drug reference. Another common pattern is deep thoughts and personal feelings: “Is life worth living”, “Why am I alive?” and many others. Mast chooses to cover up mean words or drawings directed towards someone before she covers up a juul in a pool floaty. Many things reference drug usage such as juuling and smoking (especially on school grounds).
Solution
Many students said that they would not redo what they have drawn/wrote if it were to be covered up. If the school were to cover all the graffiti, how quickly would it come back? Would it come back? Would others redo what they did originally or just call it quits on school graffiti?
If DHS was to scrub off, or paint over, all bathroom graffiti, and then continue to cover up any additional graffiti that may appear ASAP, would our school be able to put an end to graffiti once and for all? Would this at least diminish the large amounts of it in every bathroom? Would the constant recovering of the artwork and words teach students to stop altogether? Or would everything return to its current state in a short amount of time, with the school unable to cease the graffiti?
Mr. Moran mentioned something called the “Broken Window Theory.” “If you stop the little things the big things won’t happen.”