BAKERSFIELD - School is back in session in less than a week for many local kids. But, it might not be the students who need the lessons. Over the weekend, a county roads crew preparing for the new school year had some trouble with the word "School" on the road marking a crosswalk near an elementary school in Oildale.
It happened near Highland Elementary School. A block from the school, on Olympic Drive, a county crew's work was far from award-winning. They spelled "school" with a backwards "c."
"It was kind of funny. I was just thankful that it wasn't spelled with a "k," said Tonny Gisbertz, Highland Elementary School Principal.
Gisbertz and many others in the Oildale neighborhood heard about the big, yellow blunder Sunday. It's possible the paint on the bright and backwards "c" hadn't even dried before people started snapping shots and posting them on social sites.
"Of course all of the neighbors were out trying to see what it was," said David Seay who lives by the sign.
"I don't know how they can mess that up," said Tammy Clendennen. "I mean it's a school. It's not really a good influence for the kids to see letters backwards or anything like that. But, I guess it teaches the people who did the sign that the kids can spell better than they can."
"I feel sorry for the guy who did it," laughed Seay.
But, the laughs were short-lived. On Monday morning, county crews were back out, blacking out the boo boo and stenciling a new "c." However, they didn't want to talk to 17 News on camera about the flip-flop. They only said, while rare, accidents happen.
And they do. Last month, a sign saying "Please Slow Drively" was posted outside a daycare in Sacramento.
Bakersfield flubbed on a street sign in 2011 omitting an "A," turning Alamosa Lane into Almosa.
And, a backwards "C" isn't as bad as a public school ad in Tacoma, Washington, only the "L" is missing in the word "public." is missing.
So, the backwards "C" can join the ranks of memorable mistakes, providing lessons and laughs that might make the history books at Highland.
"It is something, you know, we've all taken pictures of cause it is kind of funny, and I wouldn't be surprised if it is in the yearbook this year," said Gisbertz.
The county crews at the paint and sign shop say they can't remember another error like this happening in over ten years.