Thefts send bicyclists in search of solution

Hollywood High School has always coped with the issue of bike theft with somewhat closed eyes. Now with the progressive increase in thefts, there has been a notable depletion in students who ride their bikes to school.

Another problem being the skateboard usage in school, with the resolution of a skateboard locker in the Assistant Principal’s office, will the departure of secretary Patricia Woods be the end of bike lockers? If so, where will skaters put their bikes during school hours without carrying it around and risking it getting taken away by an administrator?

Bike part theft has seems to have always been a problem in Hollywood High but it was not taken into consideration until student, biker and SAS Senior, Edmundo Rea, took action and walked into the Assistant Principal’s office to complain about his friend’s seat post being stolen during school hours.

According to the Assistant Principal Cassandra Morrison bikes are “personal items and the school is not liable”,and that if “bikes are that expensive, leave it at home”. She also stated that “the school cannot be responsible for everybody’s things”, and “if it’s your treasure, if you can’t secure it, leave it at home.”

Current bikers seem to say the contrary upon the subject of the bike thefts. SAS Senior, Edmundo Rea said, ”Well stolen parts are always a bad thing, but the fact that the school didn’t want to help out is terrible. My friend had his seat post stolen and now he has to use duct tape to tape another seat post on because it isn’t the right size for his bike. It’s the same as a teacher were to get his radio stolen from his car and has to use another radio that isn’t as good as the one it had before.

The location of the bike racks is like the most hidden place on campus with the least supervision possible. Even the gate to where the bike racks are is wide open so anyone can come inside and steal certain parts that aren’t locked up. The school needs to buy a lock and close the gate during school hours.”

Biker, and TCA senior, Christopher Urias also seems to support Edmundo Rea’s argument and supports the rumor of a possible bike locker provided by the school with his statement, “Well sadly I was a victim of the stolen parts. They took my seat post & seat as well. I actually think it’s a good idea that there might be bike lockers. At least like that people will at least feel much safer about their bikes.”

Another current bike, and SAS senior Brandon Carillo states that he had also been hearing about the bike thefts for some time now and that It makes him “feel nervous about leaving bike tied up to those bike racks ” and that his friends have also been a victim of bike parts theft. His comment on the current bike rack is that, “ They are very old, they are broken and are fragile. We need something better and more reliable, bike lockers are perfect. We need to feel secure that our bikes are safe so we may get home safe.”

With the other situation being the skateboards, students have gotten the experience to be able to have skateboard lockers during school hours in the Assistant Principal office thanks to the Woods.
With the news of Woods departure from school, skaters are worried about the safety of their skateboards, or about carrying them around and risking getting them taken away by an administrator during school hours.

“If they remove it, it’s just bad for the school because then all the kids who have boards will carry it around, having the urge to ride it and even get it taken away by the end of the day. It’s also very annoying when someone carries their skateboard around and when you pass by through crowds in the hallways, you’re likely to get hit by one of them. So keeping and making a skateboard and bicycle locker would be a great idea for Hollywood High and let the students feel more secure about their property,” said NMA junior, Usmon Muslimbekov.

With the bike theft increasing and the faith of a secure environment for students decreasing, only time will tell if the administration of Hollywood High will take into consideration their students’ concerns.

Video credit: 
Camera and Editor : Angel Zometa

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