What is the common denominator here? These kids are from different cities, different schools (middle school and high school), plus the boy/girl mix. What did these kids have in common that brought them together to vandalize this school?

These kids should do lots of hours of public service as punishment. They should not learn that they can get away with stuff just because a parent can pay for the damage.

I believe we should release names and photos of these kids in addition to having them do community work. The community deserves to know who is vandalizing school property.

The common thread is that these are very rich, entitled kids and they should do many hours of community service. Shame on them and on the father that paid for everything.

Such heartbreaking news!! I am imagining that these are otherwise "good kids", so what happened?!! What brought them to the point of thinking that what they did was OK?!! I suppose some of their behavior can be chalked up to the impulsiveness and stupidity of youth. And some might even be attributed to the "roar of the crowd" mentality (and that as individuals none of them would have acted upon these inane ideas and thoughts). But there's probably more.
What can we, as members of the "global village" do to help prevent this way of thinking and behaving?
Bottom line:the teens need to be held accountable and they should be actively involved in repairing the damage that they caused.

I, for one, am very grateful for the father who is paying so much. I believe parents are responsible for the actions of their children--apparently, he does too. I also believe the children need to be punished and I agree community service might be a good option. I do not agree that these children should have their names publicized; they are children after all.

The 'parent' that is paying the damages is the cause of this problem, not the solution. Daddy's checkbook will undoubtedly permit a lifetime of pointless destruction, in one arena or another. The kids need to work to pay off their own debt, no lesson will be learned here.

So what has this got to with Mountain View (other than the out if town student who attends school here)? I don't Palo Alto Weekly running this story.

Why is the parent paying for a private security guard to patrol the school grounds? Why doesnt this parent save her/his money and get to the bottom of the real issue which is why is YOUR child doing these dangerous and criminal acts?