Several Jefferson High School students attended the Feb. 22 Daly City Council meeting for a class assignment, but only John Paul Condran stayed through a nearly four-hour public hearing.
       Condran, a senior at Jefferson and member of the school's student government, told the council he is concerned about campus safety.
       "There are these knick-knack (problems) all over the place, and it gets to the point where you say, 'When is this going to be taken care of?'" he said. "Other people notice, but they don't say much."
       Condran voiced concerns about classrooms lacking fire extinguishers and ceiling panels. He also said efforts to paint over graffiti on the school's exterior produced an ugly smear.
       Mike Crilly, superintendent of the Jefferson Union High School District, said plans are in motion to resolve the concerns Condran raised.
       "We've been replacing fire extinguishers throughout the school," he said. "Most of them are in place, and the others should be in by (Feb. 24)."
       As for the cieling panels, Crilly said they have been temporarily moved tout of position to install a new heating system. The work is part of $6 million in upgrades that the school desperately needs, he said.
       Schools are in "independent jurisdiction" subject to very little city oversight, according to City Manager John Martin. He said the city could only look into the fire extinguisher issue, and Fire Chief Bob O'Donnell spoke with Condran after the meeting.
       Mayor Adrienne Tissier said Condran's concerns would be mentioned in a letter the city will send to the school. She thanked Condran for raising the issues and for "being so responsible."
       Council Member Madolyn Agrimonti, who was also impressed with Condran, told him, "I really admire you for doing this."
       Condran said he was nervous about speaking in front of the council, but he felt like it was the right thing to do.
       "I just wanted to say what was on my mind," he said. "I was told by a teacher to ask a lot of questions because I ask a lot of questions in class."
       True to form, a few minutes later Condran was asking what implications were involved in the council's hearing.