Sometimes it's a single word. Other times it's an entire mural.

One thing is certain. Graffiti artists are a big headache for the Mesa school district.

"It's amazing what those kids can do," said David Peterson, the district's operations director. "Some are adults, too."

To help combat the problem, the Mesa School Board this week approved a $70,000 bid from Baine Construction for graffiti removal - more than $12,000 over what the district spent cleaning up vandalized sites last school year.

Last year, workers in the state's largest school district were called to 270 graffiti sites - about 23 percent of all vandalism calls in the district, Peterson said.

Mesa workers act quickly to cover up and remove graffiti as soon as it is spotted in an effort to discourage vandals from trying it again.

When there is an exception, like Webster Elementary at 202 N. Sycamore, stronger methods are used. Workers installed a wrought-iron fence around school grounds to deter vandals, Peterson said.



Reach the reporter at justin.juozapavicius@arizonarepublic.com or (602) 444-7981.