Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, April 13, 1991 TAG: 9104130371
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: JUSTINE ELIAS/ CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
The 25 juniors and sophomores, less than 3 percent of the school's 893 students, walked out of class about 12:30 p.m. to protest what they called a clampdown on student rights.
Among their complaints: budget cuts that will require lunch periods to be shortened by five minutes, a stricter attendance policy and the lack of a student smoking area.
The students said they had heard that administrators were trying to institute a dress code and were planning to end "Spirit Week," in which students wear costumes to school and decorate the walls to celebrate the opening of the fall sports season.
"They're taking away all our privileges, all the fun things," said Tori Manniko, a junior.
"We were not walking out because of a bunch of rumors," said junior Leah Van Curen. "We were trying to draw attention to ourselves so our parents could become more involved."
But administrators, informed of the protest 10 minutes before it began, said most of the complaints are unfounded. "I don't know what they're talking about," said Principal Clinton LeGette. "None of this has been discussed."
In an announcement to students, LeGette said, "Sometimes when a rumor gets started it gets out of hand."
The removal of a 10-minute break between afternoon classes and a shortened lunch period are a result of a money-saving effort by the Montgomery County School Board, which ordered some schools to combine bus routes.
The county will save $80,000 with the move, but the high school must end its day 20 minutes earlier.
And the School Board's ban on cigarette smoking affects everyone at the high school, teachers and administrators included, LeGette said.
The attendance policy permits students to be excused from class by a parent or guardian and allows them to make up the work they miss. But students will fail a course if they miss 18 or more classes.
Students who participated in the walkout will not be penalized "as long as they understand the circumstances and act accordingly," said LeGette.
But administrators can expect to hear more from disgruntled students. Several students began circulating a petition listing their grievances.
Van Curen, who brought the petition to LeGette, called the attendance policy unfair. "If you can make the grades, you should be able to miss as many days as you want," she said.
Van Curen told LeGette she would like the school to adopt a less restrictive open-campus policy and devote more attention to non-athletic extracurricular activities such as music, drama and the arts.
by CNB