
DATE: Wednesday, October 22, 1997           TAG: 9710220538

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY ELIZABETH SIMPSON, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH                        LENGTH:   85 lines

SHOUTING PARENTS WANT SCHOOL BRAWL ANSWERS

Parents blamed school administrators, teachers and fellow parents Tuesday night for producing a school climate that brought about a massive student brawl at Woodrow Wilson High School last week.

Parents jabbed fingers in the air and often shouted during a forum organized to discuss safety concerns in the same school auditorium where the student fight began. The mediator of the parent forum, William Stallings, often had to call the crowd of 300 parents, students and school officials to order.

One parent stormed out of the room in disgust before the meeting was over, saying the forum did not meet the needs of the parents.

``We told the School Board our concerns last week,'' said parent Scott Pease. ``Today is the day for answers.''

The forum was set up, rather, to gather parent concerns, and come up with recommendations to be passed on to school administrators.

The parents had plenty to say.

``I want to know three things,'' said parent Karen Jordan. ``How long did it take for them to call the police, what is the punishment for the students involved, and why is Dr. Trumble out of town tonight and not here?''

Parents demanded several times that Superintendent Richard Trumble be made to answer their concerns, which included crowded conditions, lack of staff, and limited resources like walkie talkies and security guards.

Trumble was out of town, and spokeswoman Kerri Albertson did not know where. School Board members and other administrators were there, however, to listen.

The parents were invited to the Parent Teacher Student Association meeting to express concerns about a student melee that broke out at Wilson High Oct. 14. The incident began when seniors gathered in the school auditorium began throwing paper, and ended in scattered fights in the auditorium and outside the school. The school was closed last Wednesday to address safety concerns.

A 16-year-old Wilson student was charged with disorderly conduct and a 17-year-old student from another Portsmouth school, which was not identified, was charged with inciting a riot, assault, possession of a weapon on school property and trespassing. On Tuesday, parents questioned whether other students would be punished for the roles they played.

``Those responsible need swift punishment,'' Jordan said.

While racial slurs were used during the student brawl, both parents and students said the incident was not about race.

`This is not a racial thing,'' said parent Catherine Justice, who has a daughter who is a junior at Wilson. ``Our kids are treated like they are second best.'' She said other schools have more resources, and are less crowded. ``Here, they put all these kids in one building and say `Deal with it.' ''

One student, Jordan Wolff, said she believes the media exploited the situation by calling it racial. ``The race relations of the school are usually very good,'' she said.

While many parents criticized teachers and administrators, some said parents need to accept blame, as well. Debra Peelen, mother of a 17-year-old Wilson student and also a Portsmouth school bus driver, said as a bus driver she often deals with unruly children. She must make out several different reports to parents on the same student before any disciplinary action is taken.

``I have had my daughter suspended because she's going to learn there's authority out here, and you must respect it,'' Peelen said.

The exchanges among the parents became so heated at times, that one Wilson student, Elethia Shaw, told the parents they needed to look at the behavior they were modeling for their children. ``Parents need to start acting like parents instead of kids,'' she said.

Stallings, who is a youth risk prevention coordinator for Portsmouth schools, said the parents' recommendations would be used to create a better climate at the school.

``Certainly there is anger and other feelings, and you are entitled to that,'' Stallings said. ``We want to use that energy to make recommendations we can move ahead on.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo

HUY NGUYEN/The Virginian-Pilot

Rebecca Freeman voices the need for students to have ID cards while

Wilson High Principal William Gibson, front, listens at the PTA

parent forum Tuesday night at the school.

Photo

Susan Bechtol, left, Wilson High School assistant principal, confers

with William Gibson, the school principal, as they listen to parents

voice their concerns at the special called meeting of the PTSA at

the school Tuesday night. KEYWORDS: PORTSMOUTH SCHOOLS RIOT