Stabbing at school
due to lax security,
students say

Campbell High School
has now beefed up security and
asked police for assistance

By Debra Barayuga
Star-Bulletin

A stabbing at Campbell High School this week could have been prevented had there been more security, students say.

And Geri Rietdyk, aunt of a 14-year-old student accused in the Monday stabbing, says the school's administration should be doing more to ensure that schools are safe after her nephew reportedly was harassed and stalked by gang members since school started Sept. 2.

The stabbing is the second altercation reported at a public school since the school year started. School administrators say they are responding quickly to stem further incidents.

Administrators, teachers and security at Campbell High do their best to maintain a safe environment, but they can't be everywhere, said Dawn Alison, a Campbell High senior.

The student association at Campbell is putting together a petition asking for more security attendants, she said.

"It's taken an incident like this to realize we need more security."

The stabbing occurred during lunch hour when a Campbell alumnus allegedly came on campus to confront the 14-year-old student. The boy apparently had exchanged words with the man and his school-age friends Saturday at the school's football game.

Rietdyk said the group had allegedly threatened to find her 14-year-old nephew at school Monday and kill him.

Her nephew also had scuffled with one of them on the first day of school, for which both received a three-day suspension.

Visitors are required to check in at the office for a pass, but the 20-year-old man managed to walk on campus Monday without security noticing, school officials said.

Shone Gifford, 20, was stabbed at least three times in the chest apparently during the confrontation after he and at least four other Campbell students jumped her nephew, Rietdyk was told. "The word was he was acting in self-

defense and he was in fear and didn't have anybody to help him."

Rietdyk had called the school principal early that morning to warn him about the threats made against her nephew over the weekend.

School officials took her concerns seriously and did everything in their power to ensure the campus was safe, said Wendell Staszkow, Leeward district superintendent.

Campbell Principal Louis Vierra yesterday addressed the student body, asking for their cooperation and assistance in being alert to potential problems that could arise from Monday's incident.

He also increased security personnel on campus from four to six and asked Honolulu police for assistance. Police were expected to patrol the area after school.

Students were sent home with letters informing their parents about the incident and what the school was doing to address the problem. The letter asked for their assistance in talking to their children and let them know counseling is available, Alison said.

Rietdyk's nephew, who fled after the stabbing, remains under investigation. He was suspended, as is usually the case when a weapon is involved, Vierra said.

Farrington High School took similar action when a student allegedly threatened another student with a knife on the first day of school.

A 15-year-old boy was suspended for an entire semester. Two other students involved were suspended for a week.

When an incident occurs, the administration responds and takes action quickly, said Catherine Payne, Farrington principal.

"Once the incident happens, and students see the consequence is very quick and clear, it doesn't happen too often," she said.

This year, three uniformed security guards were hired for the first two weeks of school to patrol the school's perimeter and access roads -- freeing the school's five security attendants to monitor students on campus, Payne said.