gblowfish
10-21-2007, 10:23 AM
Apologies if posted before, I've been gone a few days:
Hazelwood school cancels rally over gangs
By Paul Hampel
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
10/19/2007
hazelwood — Citing fear of gang violence, Hazelwood school officials have canceled a homecoming bonfire and pep rally that was to be held tonight at Hazelwood West High School.
Administrators called off the rally after a warning from police, district spokeswoman Diana Gulotta said.
"Hazelwood police came to us with information that a gang had more or less targeted that event," she said.
Gulotta said the threat was not specific, but police had deemed it "serious."
"We trust the Hazelwood Police Department's knowledge on this issue, and that's why we canceled the bonfire."
The bonfire was to be set on a field in front of the high school, just off Howdershell Road, less than a mile north of Interstate 270. The event had been a tradition at the school for at least the past seven years, Gulotta said. It featured music, cheerleading and the introduction of members of the school's fall varsity teams.
Still scheduled for Saturday are the homecoming parade, at 9 a.m., and the varsity football game against Riverview Gardens, to be played at the school at 1 p.m.
And the homecoming dance was still on for 7 p.m. Saturday at the high school gym.
About 1,900 students are enrolled at the high school.
Gulotta said the threat involved individuals outside the school.
"So far as we know, there is no gang activity inside Hazelwood West," she said.
Hazelwood police Capt. Greg Hall said his department approached the district with information it got from students at the high school.
"Our school resource officer got information that a group of people were planning to use the bonfire event for a reunion, a gathering place," Hall said. "This was a group of people noted in the past to be responsible for violent activity in North County."
Asked whether he was referring to an established gang affiliated with the Crips or the Bloods, Hall said: "Gang activity in the St. Louis area that had dwindled for the last few years is starting to pick up again. And the way the gangs promote themselves has changed. It's not as easy to determine gang members' affiliations as it once was."
Hall said that there had been "no specific gang active" recently in the Hazelwood area. "But hearing those threats beforehand, this (cancellation) was probably the most prudent action to take."
The gang threat was the latest in a string of flare-ups in the district.
At recent School Board meetings, dozens of students and parents have complained that this fall's redistricting led to problems with security, transportation, scheduling and textbook distribution.
Last week, the district invited the public to serve on advisory groups to address complaints.
Population changes within the district, along with the opening this fall of four new middle schools, led to large-scale shifts of students and materials to different schools.
The district is the second-largest in St. Louis County, behind Rockwood, and serves about 20,000 students.
Two Hazelwood West parents, Kim Paubel and Kelly Sullivan, said their children told them that rumors had been circulating at the school in recent weeks that Hazelwood West and its vicinity were disputed gang territory.
Sullivan said, "It's really sad that we have to worry about these things when kids could be having a good time."
Hazelwood school cancels rally over gangs
By Paul Hampel
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
10/19/2007
hazelwood — Citing fear of gang violence, Hazelwood school officials have canceled a homecoming bonfire and pep rally that was to be held tonight at Hazelwood West High School.
Administrators called off the rally after a warning from police, district spokeswoman Diana Gulotta said.
"Hazelwood police came to us with information that a gang had more or less targeted that event," she said.
Gulotta said the threat was not specific, but police had deemed it "serious."
"We trust the Hazelwood Police Department's knowledge on this issue, and that's why we canceled the bonfire."
The bonfire was to be set on a field in front of the high school, just off Howdershell Road, less than a mile north of Interstate 270. The event had been a tradition at the school for at least the past seven years, Gulotta said. It featured music, cheerleading and the introduction of members of the school's fall varsity teams.
Still scheduled for Saturday are the homecoming parade, at 9 a.m., and the varsity football game against Riverview Gardens, to be played at the school at 1 p.m.
And the homecoming dance was still on for 7 p.m. Saturday at the high school gym.
About 1,900 students are enrolled at the high school.
Gulotta said the threat involved individuals outside the school.
"So far as we know, there is no gang activity inside Hazelwood West," she said.
Hazelwood police Capt. Greg Hall said his department approached the district with information it got from students at the high school.
"Our school resource officer got information that a group of people were planning to use the bonfire event for a reunion, a gathering place," Hall said. "This was a group of people noted in the past to be responsible for violent activity in North County."
Asked whether he was referring to an established gang affiliated with the Crips or the Bloods, Hall said: "Gang activity in the St. Louis area that had dwindled for the last few years is starting to pick up again. And the way the gangs promote themselves has changed. It's not as easy to determine gang members' affiliations as it once was."
Hall said that there had been "no specific gang active" recently in the Hazelwood area. "But hearing those threats beforehand, this (cancellation) was probably the most prudent action to take."
The gang threat was the latest in a string of flare-ups in the district.
At recent School Board meetings, dozens of students and parents have complained that this fall's redistricting led to problems with security, transportation, scheduling and textbook distribution.
Last week, the district invited the public to serve on advisory groups to address complaints.
Population changes within the district, along with the opening this fall of four new middle schools, led to large-scale shifts of students and materials to different schools.
The district is the second-largest in St. Louis County, behind Rockwood, and serves about 20,000 students.
Two Hazelwood West parents, Kim Paubel and Kelly Sullivan, said their children told them that rumors had been circulating at the school in recent weeks that Hazelwood West and its vicinity were disputed gang territory.
Sullivan said, "It's really sad that we have to worry about these things when kids could be having a good time."