School graffiti is
called ‘terroristic’

WAILUKU » Maui police detectives are investigating "disturbing" graffiti that prompted some 700 out of 1,050 students to refrain from attending classes at Lahainaluna High School on Wednesday.

Police Sgt. Hervina Santos, supervisor of the school resource officers program on Maui, said yesterday the graffiti has been classified as terroristic threatening and misdemeanor criminal property damage.

Santos declined to repeat the exact words written on the walls in the school, but she said the writings were "offensive in nature."

"There were the names of some students on the wall," said Santos, who noted the writings raised safety concerns among school officials.

"We have to look at every angle possible."

The graffiti appeared on the walls of toilet stalls in three different boys restrooms on Oct. 8 and last Friday, with a reference to Wednesday, said Principal Michael Nakano.

"It is quite disturbing, and we are taking this matter seriously," Nakano wrote in an Oct. 14 letter to parents and guardians.

Nakano said yesterday that parents were given the choice of whether to send their children to school on Wednesday.

In addition to a police officer regularly stationed at the school, several other police officers were posted at Lahainaluna on Wednesday, he said.

Nakano said there was no incident at the school Wednesday, and most of the students attended classes yesterday.