Student Arrested for Vandalizing Desk?!?
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March 11, 2010 • Fernando Gutierrez
Filed under National News
Have you ever been arrested for writing on a desk? It sounds very unlikely, but that’s what happened to Alexa Gonzalez, a 12 year old girl living in New York City. She wrote the words “I love my friends Abby and Faith. Lex was here 2/1/10 
”. Alexa expected maybe a detention or a lecture from her school principal, but instead the principal walked her across the street to the police station and had her handcuffed. The police handcuffed her in front of teachers and students of her middle school. Alexa told a CNN reporter that she couldn’t believe what was happening, and that she didn’t want people to think she was a bad person. Alexa was released that day, and she will not be suspended according to a spokeswoman of the New York City Department of Education. Still, this case raises some concerns about how some schools use their zero tolerance policy.
I believe that they went too far on this case, and she should have just gotten detention or a lecture from a police officer on why damaging private property is not a good idea. This isn’t the first case like this either! In 2007, a 13 year old girl named Chelsea Fraser got arrested for writing “okay” on her desk. She was one of several students who got arrested that day. The others were arrested for putting up stickers on the wall. These are two cases where the police were asked to step in and arrest students. I believe the police shouldn’t have been involved. The principal should have just called the parents or made the students stay after school and clean the desks and walls they damaged.
In conclusion, students should try to avoid these situations all together by not damaging property that’s not theirs. COHS students should try not to write on desks or other private property becuase of the consequences it may bring. Students never know how severe those consequences can get. From personal experience, I would recommend staying away from vandalism and graffiti becuase the consequences can be harsh. COHS students should know about this story so that they know how serious some people take vandalism. Even if the writing or drawing has no profanity or hate, people still take these situations seriously. In the end we should all learn from this story and it’s your choice whether you want avoid these types of situations or not.
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I personally think that the principal of this school took the situation way to far. I think that even suspending this student would have been ridiculous and over the top because she is twelve and only in middle school. I believe that the school should have just given the student a detention or made them clean the school because im sure they would have learned not to write on desks again because they wouldn’t want a detention or to clean.
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After reading this article, I am amazed that students have been arrested for writing on school desks. Even though this may be considered as damaging school property, the punishment the students received is ridiculous. I agree with the author, and think that the students should have gotten a minor punishment instead of getting arrested in front of a lot of people, just for writing harmless words on school property. I also think that the there are worse things you could do to school property, and get arrested for.
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I think this story was really interesting. It amazes me that doing such a simple, immature thing as to writing on a desk could get you arrested! It’s pretty ridiculous. It seems that adults and authority figures see how negative youth is becoming so they are going above and beyond to enforce extreme punishments. In this case it was totally unnecessary. I’m not saying the girl shouldn’t of received a consequence AT ALL but getting arrested for it did nothing but most likely ruin her reputation, and leave her traumatized. I think her act was pretty harmless, she didn’t even write anything inappropriate or vulgar.
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I think that this is obsered. I think that the principal overreacted on this concept. I could understand if the message wqas gang related, but it wasnt. The principal was overreacting and had no sypathy to this fact. Students write on desks all the time, but i have never heard of anything as rediculous as this. I feel sorry for this student and all that she had to go through with the media and the negative reviews of this situation. I couldnt even imagine the guilt she felt and how ashamed her parents must have been. That would be the worst feeling that you could feel knowing that your parent are disappointed in your actions. Jail was not the resolution to this conflict.
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Man schools always do way too much, they take minor situations to the next level like a scare tactic. Just like any other authority the school usually abuses their power but dont get me wrong there are times when some cool, laydback teachers and school officials treat you like an equal and not a lower you know? I really dont agree with the decision of the principal for her to get arrested and have it on her juvy record forever now when she fills out an application shel have to check the box where shes been arrested. but fernando did a superb job on this article and makes some great points.
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The teacher went to far when alexa was sent to the police station in my own opinion its just a loving statement. Yeah i know one of the school rules are you dont write on school property but also she didnt write any thing degrading on the school property. The highest punishment i would say is one day suspension. But getting arrested is a very harsh punishment for writing “I love my friends Abby and Faith. Lex was here 2/1/10 ”. Same for the other case with putting stickers on walls. They should find a legit punishment that isnt doing to much. Like the lecture, detention, one day suspention or something.
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I think this girl should have not been arrested for this mild vandalism. She could have just gotten a detention or something. The arrest will go on her record until she turns 18 and may stop her from doing certain things such as getting a job. Living in the area she lived in this is one of the stupidest things they could have arrested someone for. Did this change anything for the school, and how does the principal feel about this?
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I don’t think they should have arrested her for writing on the desk. They should have just gave her a warning, and I especially don’t think they should have done that in front of her school, teachers, and students. I would have been embarrased if I was arrested in front of people.
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I like the national coverage. You’re on opposite sides of the country and you wrote a story about this that easily can appeal to site viewers. Good job.
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