New Sealth Building Vandalized; West Seattle Blog Scoop

Our friends over at the fine West Seattle Blog look to have scooped the Times (and anyone else because I didn't hear about it on local tv news) on a story about the new construction at Chief Sealth High school (which is currently housed in the Boren building):

"According to a report provided by the Southwest Precinct, the construction crew arrived first thing this morning “to discover someone(s) broke into the secured school … set fire to a cabinet / cork boards, and broke multiple skylights and other interior windows.” The report elaborates: They set a wood cabinet on fire, which caught nearby corkboards on fire. Numerous interior windows as well as skylights were extensively damaged. Several beer cans were left behind, as well as blood smears from where (the) suspect may have been cut. The fire alarm had been disabled due to reconstruction."

No mention of any costs involved but I imagine the skylights will cost a lot but hopefully, the fire was confined to one room.

I'm still waiting for some answers on other BEX projects from Facilities staff; I can just add "how much is this going to cost this project?" to the list.

Comments

seattle citizen said…
That's probably insured. Not much to do about hoddlums, except maybe hire 24/7 guards...
Or place some discrete booby traps...
WS said…
Our scoops are invariably thanks to excellent community sources who we very much appreciate. We find out some things independently too :) Anyway, more importantly, we did have a short followup - with a little bit more on the damage (though no dollar estimate) and the beefed-up security that ensued:

http://westseattleblog.com/blog/?p=15071

-Tracy at WSB
SolvayGirl said…
I did see this on the lat night news on Wednesday and was saddened.
I understand about the insurance; I meant what does it cost (set the district back) in time.
ScootCoot said…
This comment doesn't concern the vandalism at the "New Sealth...", but it is a comment about the lack of enforcement of the "key issuing" (and "building use") policy of the Seattle School District - in a way that could lead to illegal entry into school buildings before AND after hours...

Some of you may remember the pedophile incident that happened at Broadview-Thomson - a result of, again, a lack of enforcement of the "key issuing" (and "building use") policy....

Basically, the "key issuing" policy states that NO teacher is to be issued an inside or outside master key... The only key(s) a teacher is issued is one for their classroom, and in some circumstances, a key for a locked lavatory (adult) and copy machine workrooms... (The most egregious part is that a lot of teachers think it is their "right" to keep "their" keys through the summer - the policy states the keys are to be RETURNED at the end of the school year)

The ONLY time a master key would be issued to a teacher would be AFTER the application for such a key is APPROVED, not only by the principal, but "downtown" as well...

There have been several meetings with "administration" about this issue, but to date the "key issuing" (and building use) policy is not being followed, as it is currently written, and the "meetings" have not created a SOLID and ENFORCEABLE "key issuing" (or "building use") policy...

As parents of school aged children, you should be VERY CONCERNED about WHO has an inside/outside master key at your child's school...

And, when a building has to be re-keyed because a master key "goes missing", that is NOT where you want YOUR tax dollars going...

It would behoove the School District to look at investing in electronic locks at ALL schools - this would track who enters the building after hours and on the weekends... The initial expense would be a good investment in the safety and security of YOUR children and the buildings as well...

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