Howard County police charged a 14-year-old Mount Airy boy yesterday with spraying a racial slur on the entrance sign at River Hill High School in August -- a crime deplored by students, who said they thought race relations at the school were fine.
The juvenile was charged with one count of destruction of property and violation of the racial and religious sections of state law, said Sgt. Steven Keller, a police spokesman.
The school system reported 452 vandalism and 86 graffiti incidents during the 1994-95 school year, costing $61,641 to repair and clean up.
The racial slur was spray-painted on the school's 6-foot-tall blue and yellow sign Aug. 31.
During the same weekend, a swastika was smeared in chocolate on a home in Columbia's Kings Contrivance village. Residents expressed dismay that such hate is present in Columbia, which prides itself on racial harmony.
Police log
Harper's Choice: 11200 Pear Tree Way: Someone stole a 1988 Nissan Pathfinder between 11: 30 p.m. Tuesday and 7: 15 a.m. Wednesday. The Maryland tag is 779601M.
Pub Date: 10/04/96
