Pubdate: Fri, 09 Feb 2007
Source: Kitsap Sun (WA)
Copyright: 2007 Kitsap Sun
Contact:  http://www.kitsapsun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4404
Author: Gene Yoachum, For The Kitsap Sun
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

LEADERS SAY BREMERTON HIGH IS SAFE

A recent spate of crime makes things at the school seem  worse than
they are, about 125 people are assured  Thursday.

About 125 parents, students, school district employees  and others
seeking to show support for Bremerton High  School packed the BHS
library Thursday evening for a  community meeting intended to
counteract a recent spate  of negative publicity.

Dr. Bette Hyde, superintendent of Bremerton School  District, and BHS
Principal Aaron Leavell moderated the  event, which at times grew
contentious over police  tactics, race relations and school policies.

Hyde and Leavell began by assuring the crowd that  Bremerton High is a
safe place for students to attend  -- despite a Jan. 23 Bremerton
Police sting in which  eight BHS students were arrested on illegal
drug and  weapons charges and gunshots by vandals shattered  windows
and doors at the school's main entrance six  days later.

Hyde pointed out that "Operation Pharmacy" sting was  carried out by
BPD officials and did not involve school  employees or BHS
administrators.

"We were approached by the (police) chief about  apprehending the
students on campus," Hyde said. "They  asked and we said yes."

Of the 17 people ultimately arrested, Hyde said "less  than half" were
BHS students. She said no drugs nor  alcohol were found at BHS and no
"transmittals" of  illegal substances occurred on school district
property  during school hours. Hyde said one drug deal did go  down on
a school play field at 2 a.m. on one occasion.

None of the events were connected with gang activity  and the bullets
fired into the BHS entryway was  "unrelated" to the drug bust, she
said.

Hyde said the suspected vandals, who have since been  caught, told
police they were headed to another school  district's high school to
commit the vandalism. They  decided it was too far to drive and
settled for the BHS  entryway "at random," she said.

Leavell said that this year, 154 different students  have been
referred to the office for disciplinary  reasons, mostly involving
student defiance. The  referrals resulted in 175 total suspensions or
emergency expulsions, most connected to attendance  issues.

Of the suspensions or expulsions, Leavell said, "only  15 were drug-
or alcohol-related and three were for  possession of a knife on campus."

Although the "events were unfortunate that they  involved our
students," Leavell said, he added that in  the aftermath, "these
events have made us closer."

Henry Shepherd of Port Orchard, who said he has  children and
grandchildren in Kitsap County schools,  wondered why school officials
allowed the arrests to be  made on school property. Doing so, he said,
possibly  endangered students.

Police Sgt. Kevin Crane said that the arrested students  were summoned
to the principal's office individually,  just like they might be on
any given school day, and  taken into custody.

Not satisfied, Shepherd wondered what would happen the  next time
those particular students were told to report  to the office.

"We have no qualms about having them come to the  office," responded
Assistant Principal Ken Aries.

He said several of the arrested students have returned  to class and
have been summoned to the principal's  office without a problem. He
said most of the students  involved in the sting "are good kids" who
made poor  choices.

Sue Sawyer, whose four children include two Bremerton
middle-schoolers, wondered why the arrested students  were back at
school.

Leavell said the events that led to their arrests did  not occur on
school property and that none of the  students in question were
disciplinary problems at  school.

"Sometimes people make bad choices," Leavell said. "And  if we don't
give them a second chance, they won't be  able to learn from their
mistakes."

Some parents wondered if race played a part in  Bremerton High School
being chosen for the police  sting, given that the ethnic mix at BHS
is more diverse  than at other local schools. BPD's Crane said his
department covers Bremerton, not surrounding  municipalities.

Despite the diverse ethnic backgrounds evident in the  room, the BHS
supporters appeared willing to focus as a  group on helping BHS
improve its image.

Bishop Larry Robertson of Emmanuel Apostolic Church  suggested the
group try to "make lemonade" instead of  "getting polarized."

Hyde said the district will host another meeting like  Thursday
night's at its next Community Roundtable,  scheduled for March 29.

It will be a potluck. With lemonade.
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MAP posted-by: Derek