In RIVERSIDE: school district is covering up, telling lies to parents; their response to increase alleged racial tension is to SUPRESS ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT RACE ISSUES, and INCREASE POLICE, GANG UNITS, AND GANG PROFILING ON CAMPUS AND OF STUDENTS.
*sources who cannot be revealed from the district have stated that there were firearms involved, and they are intentionally withholding this information from parents and students.
*district to implement surveillance cameras on campus (see article below) on the districts’ 2 largely student of color campuses (Norte Vista & La Sierra High School)
*District cancels cultural events in response to the violence and refuse to allow any forum for students to actually discuss their response to the severe police lockdown on their campus and repeated violence on their campus and on their streets
PRESS ENTERPRISE ARTICLE (1 of 2)
Fight leads to lockdown
RIVERSIDE: Two students are arrested and four others suspended after a brawl at La Sierra High.
12:15 AM PST on Saturday, February 19, 2005
By JOHN WELSH / The Press-Enterprise
RIVERSIDE - A small fight caused a lockdown and early dismissal at La Sierra High School in Riverside on Friday afternoon.
Riverside police officers arrested two students and interviewed at least two others who might have been involved, said La Sierra High Principal Don Austin. Four students were suspended, he said.
Administrators and school officials were extra cautious this week in the aftermath of a Valentine's night brawl at a nearby amusement park.
David Bauman / The Press-Enterprise
Riverside police officers keep an eye on La Sierra High School students Friday after a fight on campus. At least 12 Riverside police cars had lined one entrance to the school.
Additional school resource officers patrolled the 2,900-student campus, but Austin said he did not believe the two incidents were related.
Dozens of parents contacted by their children by cell phones waited nervously outside the locked gates about 1 p.m. Students who ate lunch off campus were not allowed to return to class.
At least 12 Riverside police cruisers lined one entrance to the school, and some officers walked a quad area wearing helmets with protective covers.
"The precautionary measures we took were appropriate," Austin said later by telephone. "Several students said 'Thank you' for making this a safe place."
Still, some parents shared frustrations directed at how a handful of students seem to spoil a school day for the many others.
"They're getting a charge out of this," said Julie Statham, 41, of Home Gardens, standing outside a front entrance off La Sierra Avenue. Her daughter and son attend the school.
"It's a big laugh for them. They're probably saying, 'Look at what we did. There's a helicopter up there and 50 cop cars.' These kids are not worried. They're getting a good rise over this."
An early dismissal followed the lockdown. Several students said the incident involved only a small group.
"It's serious but it's stupid," said sophomore Yan Strelchik, 16. "When they do this at school they put people in danger."
Reach John Welsh at (951) 368-9474 or
jwelsh@pe.com PRESS ENTERPRISE ARTICLE [2]
District eyes security cameras for schools
ALVORD UNIFIED: Officials hope to have surveillance to monitor activity on its campuses by this fall.
12:14 AM PST on Saturday, February 19, 2005
By LINDA LOU / The Press-Enterprise
RIVERSIDE - Security cameras may appear at La Sierra and Norte Vista high schools this fall to monitor and capture incidents on and around campuses.
Alvord Unified School District board members this week gave district officials their support to create a plan detailing estimated costs, and possible locations to install cameras and recording devices in the schools.
The plan would be voted on in April, said assistant superintendent Wendel Tucker.
The cameras would be used to monitor such areas as parking lots for surveillance purposes, said board member Greg Kraft. Kraft proposed the cameras to deal with thefts, graffiti and to record any incidents happening around the schools' borders.
"We don't want it to be a spy camera on our employees," Kraft said. "We want to protect students, staff and the surrounding community."
The board said they supported the idea of installing cameras, with priority going to the high schools. Other schools also may get security cameras according to need or in phases in the future.
Howard Monise, whose son attends La Sierra High, said cameras would be useful in identifying suspects who paint graffiti or are involved in violence on campus.
"Cameras don't lie," he said.
But Synovia Harris, a La Sierra student, said she would not want to see cameras on her campus.
"It would create a feeling that there's something wrong," said Synovia, 16. "We don't need cameras."
Riverside Unified School District is working on a proposal to put in 15 security cameras at Martin Luther King High School, possibly in the summer, said Dianne Pavia, the district's spokeswoman. The school would be a test site, she said.
The district has portable surveillance cameras to use for specific needs, Pavia said.
Reach Linda Lou at (951) 893-2109 or
llou@pe.com 