Neighbors Pelted : School Acts to Halt Rock Throwing

For nearly seven years, rocks tossed from the nearby recreation field of John Muir Junior High School have clogged the swimming pool drain and cluttered the backyard deck and lawn of Grace and Jack Zinnato’s Burbank home. Some have even gone clear over the house.

But last month, when a rock--apparently launched from the field by a student--smashed through an upstairs window, the beleaguered Burbank couple had enough.

“First big rocks and now small rocks,” Grace Zinnato said Friday. “When you live near a school, you expect some aggravation, but this added on top of that is too much.”

Zinnato, 45, took her case to the Burbank Board of Education just before Christmas.

Agrees to Remove Rocks

The board, acting on the premise that temptation is the root of evil, this week agreed to remove as many rocks as possible from the field and to apply 200 feet of vinyl slats to a 10-foot-high chain link fence that lines the school property. The slats will block the view of the Zinnato house.

Muir officials said teachers were also instructed to keep an eye on the students while they are outside.

“I can really see the problem that the family has there,” said Mel Ross, district business manager. “The slats will . . . hopefully remove the temptation to throw the rocks.”

“Energy and mischievousness with 1,200 13- and 14-year-olds is always a problem,” said Muir Principal Vera Vignes. “The home is one of those that is directly visible and directly in line of the track and field area. I would describe it as an invitation to junior high school students.”

Vignes said, however, that school investigations have shown that most of the problems don’t come from students. She said the hillside campus is open to the public and most of the problems occur after school.

“At this age, when kids do naughty things, it leaks out,” Vignes said. “They have no secrets. During the day, I am almost convinced that it is not happening.”

“The school district has responded very quickly,” Zinnato said, “and has been very cooperative. It has eased up little by little over the years. I understand that the pool attracts them to see if they can get the rocks in there. Hopefully, this will be the end of it.”