Kids Locked Out From Vandalized Sacramento School Playground

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) -- A north Sacramento school hit hard by vandals has forced the principal to keep students locked out of their very own park.

At Glenwood Elementary School on Jessie Avenue, the students don't chase each other on the playground -- they play outside of it. In fact, they're told to stay away, and just to make sure, the park behind the school is chained shut.

"It's not a park where they can come and be safe and play and feel comfortable," explained Glenwood Principal Sarah Neuhaus.

The students rarely ask about the jungle gym by the baseball field. It has been a year since they've played on it after vandals spray-painted it top to bottom with graffiti. Weeds are the only thing climbing on it now.

"The school district, with the budget cuts that we have had, can only maintain to a certain extent, so we're able to mow the fields and maintain it there," Neuhaus said.

Then this past May someone tried to burn down another playground students used next to the school, leaving kids without any playground -- and leaving parents disgusted.

"Look at my baby, she wants to play," complained parent Tammy Aldridge.

Another parent said she keeps her kids away.

"It's horrible," said Castle Bryant. "There's gang-related stuff. I don't even taken them there."

But will the playground sit another year growing weeds? Neuhaus hopes not.

"I think it would be having conversations with the district and making connections with the city and the community," she said about how to fix the park, which the city helped to build.

A teacher even told CBS13's Maria Medina that she might make it the sixth grade project.

Aldridge just hopes something's done about it. And she had a message for the vandals.

"I think they need to clean it, and if ya'll are out there putting graffiti on there, stop! These kids can't even play on their playground," she said. "What's wrong with you?"