Principals confer about fights

By Johnny Brannon
Advertiser Education Writer

A rash of fights and altercations with police at O'ahu public high schools has underscored the fact that emergencies can erupt on any campus at any time, state education officials said yesterday.

So it's important that schools take precautions and are ready to respond appropriately to crises, officials said after a special meeting of high school and intermediate school principals from across the island.

"We've always had events and incidents, and we'll continue to," said Department of Education safety and security administrator Glenn Tatsuno. "They key is really anticipating these things and having a good plan."

The increased attention to safety procedures followed a week of altercations at four high schools, including an incident Monday in which police used pepper spray to disperse unruly students after a fight at Nanakuli High and Intermediate School.

Waipahu High School principal Patricia Pedersen said it was very productive for school leaders to review safety plans together, so that they can learn from each other.

"It was an opportunity for us to get together and share ideas," she said.

Five Waipahu High students were arrested and a police officer was assaulted during an altercation there Thursday. Pedersen said she has since met with the students and their parents, and that the situation is now under control. It remains unclear who kicked a police officer during the scuffle.

"It started as a misunderstanding over some things that in our view as adults might seem like very simple issues, but to them they were very important," Pedersen said. "It was a misunderstanding, and they just didn't know how to resolve their issues."

Police have been stationed outside the school at the end of the school day, providing a strong visual deterrent to further problems, she said.

One way to prevent conflicts from escalating is to convince students to trust the adults who are in charge, and come to them with concerns, Pedersen said. It's also important to forge strong links with parents and others in the surrounding community, she said.

Kapolei High School principal Al Nagasako said it also is important for principals to know that there is support for their efforts to be prepared for problems.

"We do need to practice, and every one of us was reminded to revisit our security plans," Nagasako said. "Today was a good time not only for sharing the plans, but also for the sense of support that all of us have for each other. It's a tough job, and it can happen at any one of our campuses."

A fight after a basketball game at Radford High School 11 days ago was followed by some tense confrontations at the school last week, including some with racial overtones.

Several Radford students said yesterday that the school had settled down since then, and that they felt safe there.

"We don't mess with anybody, so they don't mess with us," said Lani Hodge, a 15-year-old sophomore who was practicing guitars with a friend in front of the school.

Radford is normally a friendly place where most students get along, she said.

"Nothing bad really happens, so when something does, it's a big deal," Hodge said.

Freshman Miesha Norris, 14, said she had been startled to learn of the fight after the basketball game, in which a group of students was jumped by another group while walking home after a smaller altercation.

"When a friend told me about it, I wanted to cry," she said. "It was shocking. But I think it's over with now. I'm not worried about it."

Rowen Monroe, a substitute teacher at Radford for four years, said that the school is generally peaceful but that problems can happen anywhere.

"It's like driving," she said. "You have to be able to anticipate the unexpected, because things happen."

Reach Johnny Brannon at 525-8084 or jbrannon@honoluluadvertiser.com..