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UPDATED: Vandalized Hardee Junior High To Open Thursday

Highlands Today photo by Marc Valero

Vandals broke into the gymnasium at Hardee Middle School.

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News Channel 8

Published: January 23, 2008

Hardee School Vandalism Photo Gallery

WAUCHULA — Hardee School Superintendent Dennis Jones said cleanup of Hardee Junior High School, which was found vandalized today, should be complete for school to open Thursday for classes.

Vandals spray-painted the outside of the school and broke through windows and doors to spray-paint and create a mess inside the school, Jones said.

A janitor discovered the vandalism early this morning at the school located at 2401 U.S. 17 N. north of Wauchula. The graffiti is gang-related and authorities did not have any leads as of this morning.

While students were not sent home today, they were not allowed into the classrooms but herded together in the auditorium.

Parents, who had been given the option of picking up their children, steadily trickled in during the day, worried about their children's welfare.

School officials are not sure how the perpetrators gained access to the school, which is fenced off. Jones expressed anger and sadness at the incident, wondering why anyone would want to damage the school.

Check highlandstoday.com for updates.

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