Rockwall High gets extra police after fight
Principal says no arms found; 10 suspended recently in disputes
03:10 PM CST on Saturday, February 18, 2006
By LaKISHA LADSON / The Dallas Morning News
Extra police officers were at Rockwall High School on Friday to give
assurance that students were safe despite a recent fight and rumors of
violence, school district officials said.
But for some, the police cars around the campus caused alarm. Parents
outside the school around noon talked by cellphone about whether to let
their teenagers attend classes.
The day ended without trouble and without any weapons - the subject
of rumors the day before - being found, principal Mark LeMaster said.
He said no altercations or threats had been reported since Tuesday
morning, when a campuswide announcement was made.
"If you're going to fight, there is a heavy price to pay, and we will
not tolerate it, and disciplinary action will be taken," Dr. LeMaster
said students were told. "Today, we're just sort of dealing with rumor
control."
At least 10 students had been suspended recently after fights, threats
and agitation between groups of Hispanic and black students, Dr.
LeMaster said. On Monday, a teacher with injured knees tried to break
up a fight between two students and "kind of slipped," the principal
said. "He wasn't hit, he wasn't attacked."
Dr. LeMaster said the dispute between the groups had been building for
years and was carried from their neighborhood, which he didn't
identify. He said the students weren't members of a gang.
"Just groups of kids," he said. "I don't want anybody to believe that
we're talking about gangs."
Thursday, the day before some of the suspended students were scheduled
to return, rumors spread that a weapon might be brought to school, so
officials opted for increased police visibility.
District officials had no count of how many parents pulled their
children out of school. They said absences stemming from concern would
probably be excused.
Dr. LeMaster said school officials would monitor the situation daily.
"We've visited with a lot of students, we've visited with a lot of
parents," he said. "We believe we have a handle on the situation."
Principal says no arms found; 10 suspended recently in disputes
03:10 PM CST on Saturday, February 18, 2006
By LaKISHA LADSON / The Dallas Morning News
Extra police officers were at Rockwall High School on Friday to give
assurance that students were safe despite a recent fight and rumors of
violence, school district officials said.
But for some, the police cars around the campus caused alarm. Parents
outside the school around noon talked by cellphone about whether to let
their teenagers attend classes.
The day ended without trouble and without any weapons - the subject
of rumors the day before - being found, principal Mark LeMaster said.
He said no altercations or threats had been reported since Tuesday
morning, when a campuswide announcement was made.
"If you're going to fight, there is a heavy price to pay, and we will
not tolerate it, and disciplinary action will be taken," Dr. LeMaster
said students were told. "Today, we're just sort of dealing with rumor
control."
At least 10 students had been suspended recently after fights, threats
and agitation between groups of Hispanic and black students, Dr.
LeMaster said. On Monday, a teacher with injured knees tried to break
up a fight between two students and "kind of slipped," the principal
said. "He wasn't hit, he wasn't attacked."
Dr. LeMaster said the dispute between the groups had been building for
years and was carried from their neighborhood, which he didn't
identify. He said the students weren't members of a gang.
"Just groups of kids," he said. "I don't want anybody to believe that
we're talking about gangs."
Thursday, the day before some of the suspended students were scheduled
to return, rumors spread that a weapon might be brought to school, so
officials opted for increased police visibility.
District officials had no count of how many parents pulled their
children out of school. They said absences stemming from concern would
probably be excused.
Dr. LeMaster said school officials would monitor the situation daily.
"We've visited with a lot of students, we've visited with a lot of
parents," he said. "We believe we have a handle on the situation."
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