Prairie School Vandalism Sparks Concern, Lessons

Students at Prairie Elementary School were kept indoors during recess Monday after school officials discovered graffiti near the playground.

The decision was made both to keep the children out of the way of the crew that was assigned to clean off the spray paint and to prevent scaring the students because the graffiti included the word “die,” District 96 spokeswoman Betsy Fresen said.

The words were painted around a corner of the building that faces the playground. 

Police were called “to make sure it didn’t reflect any type of a threat,” Fresen said, and Buffalo Grove Park District employees responded to clean it up.

Some of the paint was removed Monday, and the remainder was wiped out Tuesday morning, she said. The children returned to outdoor recess on Tuesday, she said.

Parents were notified by email of the incident Monday, and the student body was also made aware of the vandalism, Fresen said.

The incident has sparked discussions in Prairie’s classrooms, where teachers are citing it in social-emotional lessons about the importance of respect and kindness, Fresen said.

“Even the first-grade classrooms are talking about it,” she said.