Isle school officials told
to assess school security

Recent fights at high schools
lead to a meeting of principals

Oahu high school principals met to discuss school violence yesterday and were advised to pay more attention to campus security following recent fights at four schools.

Equating the message to an elevation of the Homeland Security alert, Assistant Schools Superintendent Clayton Fujie said principals were told to review school procedures on heading off and containing student disputes.

"We're just being proactive, and we want to make sure everyone from the principal on down understands their roles, because sometimes people forget," he said.

About 50 principals and vice principals representing nearly all high schools on the island attended the closed-door meeting at Radford High School.

The principals of Radford, Waipahu, Nanakuli and Waianae high schools all shared information from recent violence at their schools, Fujie said. All high schools will be asked to increase information-sharing with each other and with the Board of Education, he added.

Eight students were arrested Monday after a fight and subsequent clash with police at Nanakuli High School, scene of the most persistent violence. The arrests capped several days of student brawls there, but the school was calm yesterday.

At least three different squad cars patrolled the sprawling campus and surrounding neighborhood through the day. No one was allowed to leave or enter the campus until school ended without special permission from the school administration.

That left some parents frustrated.

"This (fighting) is ridiculous. It affects everybody," said Helen Bruce, who was prevented from picking up her daughter for a lunchtime doctor's appointment.

State Rep. Michael Kahikina (D, Kalaeloa-Nanakuli) said the heightened security was merely a "Band-Aid" and that the fights highlight a much broader societal breakdown.

He said he was heartened by the turnout at a community meeting Monday night, in which more than 60 parents called for the community to come together. Many indicated their intentions to participate in a School-Community Council to be set up later this year.

In the battle for students' minds, however, Bruce said she feels Nanakuli High is losing out to drugs, truancy and other "bad influences."

"It's a shame. It's a beautiful school, but the kids aren't learning like they should," she said.

Nanakuli students said they liked the school but agreed a lack of discipline was interfering with schooling.

"We've always had fights here, but only now are they getting on TV," said ninth-grader Selena Stroder.