The Virginian-Pilot
©
NORFOLK
School security personnel used pepper spray for the third time in two weeks Wednesday, subduing a student fight at Granby High but fueling an issue that has a city councilman urging an end to the practice.
"I just don't think that our security guards should have a free hand with this pepper spray, basically because of danger to eyesight," City Councilman Paul Riddick said Thursday. Riddick's son attends Granby.
Security officers at the school separated two students who were fighting Wednesday, and one struck the officers, spokeswoman Elizabeth Thiel Mather said in an email Thursday.
"The officer who ultimately used the OC spray warned the student multiple times that the spray would have to be used unless the aggression stopped," she wrote. No other students were exposed to the spray, known as oleoresin capsicum.
Debate over the school policy of arming guards with the spray erupted last week after the substance was used on students in the Lafayette-Winona Middle School lunchroom. On Tuesday, the City Council questioned school officials about the policy, which no other local school system has.
Associate Superintendent for Administration Michael Spencer told the council that school security officers have used pepper spray:
-- six times last year
-- 17 times in 2009-10
-- 13 times in 2008-09
Riddick said Thursday that although discipline is a problem, pepper spray should not be used.
"For some reason, it has just come to the public's attention," he said. "I think I would have been concerned had I known that in a previous year we had 17 incidents."
Sharon Goretsky is among Granby parents who feel differently about pepper spray.
"I truly believe that is the safest way for security to control the situation many times," said Goretsky, secretary of Granby's Parent Teacher Student Association. Some unruly students are "out of control and obviously have no respect for authority. They are a danger to all those around."
Granby High Principal Ted Daughtrey said today in an email that in the Wednesday incident, a large student tried to break into a classroom to attack another student. Security guards “took him to the ground” but could not control the student. After the student refused to calm down and disregarded several warnings about pepper spray, the spray was used.
Earlier this week, pepper spray was used to break up a fight at Blair Middle School. Three students were affected by the spray. In the Lafayette-Winona incident, the spray was used during a food fight. A school spokeswoman said 37 students who complained of symptoms or were in the vicinity were seen by a school nurse after the incident.
Norfolk's school security guards are civilians. The division also employs sworn police officers who are posted in some schools.
Division policy states that because security officers are not sworn police officers, "it is essential that they understand the limits upon their ability to exercise authority over and use force or restraint upon students. Their authority and ability to use force or restraint upon students is that of any other school teacher or administrator."
The school system requires that security officers be trained according to standards set by the Virginia Center for School Safety. Neither the center nor the state Department of Education keeps statistics on how many divisions arm security guards with pepper spray, the agencies' spokespeople said.
The Virginian-Pilot has a Freedom of Information request pending with Norfolk schools for records on the use of pepper spray. The division has asked for an extension to fulfill the request.
Norfolk school policy stipulates that pepper spray "shall not be used except when all other, lesser alternatives have proved ineffective." It also says the security coordinator will investigate any incidents in which pepper spray was used and will file an annual report.
On Tuesday, Spencer said the spray is rarely used and was "the least intrusive way" to stop violent altercations. In the Blair incident, he said, two girls were fighting so fiercely that guards feared one of the combatants would get hurt.
"The security officer bent down and sprayed her in the face after warning her," Spencer said of one student. "Immediately, she let go, and they were able to break that up."
Steven G. Vegh, (757) 446-2417, steven.vegh@pilotonline.com
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From Number One to This
I have a several questions: (1) How does Norfolk Public Schools go from being the number one urban school district just 7 or 8 years ago to the mess it's in now? (2) What is the impact of $50,000,000 in budgetary cuts on the quality of education in Norfolk? (3) What is the impact of the reduction in force of nearly 700 teachers, IT personnel, literacy teachers, security guards, librarians, secretaries, and some central office personnel on the quality of education Norfolk? (4) How are the students experiencing the economic stress that our country currently suffering? More importantly, what is the plan of action to address these questions?
LET IT NOT BE...
LET IT NOT BE ...Something these "kids"can brag about...They Need an alternative consequence ALONG with pepper spray that will get their attention...As I responded to Kerry's article...There is no greater consequence than spending time alone, confined, and not on the street. Put them in a classroom with a security guard for a week and then see how they feel. Or if they want to DROP OUT..they should..We are not the keepers of all dysfunctional kids who disobey authority, disrupt the kids who want to learn, and are on the path to jail. It is, nonetheless unfortunate where this behavior originates.
If there is to be a change
If there is to be a change in policy, the only sensible one is next time, call the police and follow through by pressing charges. Also, bring back the Johnny-B-Good "school" for hooligans who don't want to learn.
Oh, contraire!!!!!!!!! Why
Oh, contraire!!!!!!!!! Why equip with pepper spray if some don't want it used. Typical pc idiotic thinking! More accurately, I know for a fact that at Lafayette-Winona Middle, a better practice would be to spray the known trouble makers each morn upon their entry to said premises with same said spray. Then maybe all interred in the facility will have a great, incident free day. These same brats ( a kind reference to who they really are) fight daily walking home in front of the school next door. Next, they will tumble into the street, be hit by a car or tractor trailer, and the school system/city will be sued by their absentee parents for not protecting them with a crossing guard who they think should monitor behavior. There was one there not so long
Security
Well, I think those Security Guards should receive hazardous duty pay.
I hate to think that all I had was a can of pepper spray to defend myself. Schools today are more violet then years ago. They need more then Security Guards, they need off duty Police Officers who are trained in handling fights,riots, etc. Most of those who start these fights will end up in jail before their life is over. Parents today, are nothing more then kids themselves, so they fail to see the problem.
I am amazed that we can still find teachers willing to subject themselves to the crap in the school room. To the councilman or anyone opposed to using the pepper spray,let them walk in a Security Guards shoes for one day. I don't think they could do it.
pepper spray
You know it is a crying shame so many people are up set about the use of oc spray. In all these post not one mention has been made about these little thugs being charged with the crimes they are commiting. Thats right libs; asssaulting someone is a crime especially if it is a teacher or schiool security personel. As I said before, once again Paul Riddick is spouting off at the mouth about something he knows nothing about! OC spray will not cause permanent blindness. I bet if he had to spend time with these trouble makers and was getting assaulted he would think differently. The reality of it is the security staff doesn't use it enough and by delaying they put themselves and others at risk of injury.
Pass the Ham!
If Riddick doesn't like the idea of pepper spray, which is the least harmful solution to break up a fight, perhaps her could go to schools and pass out hams. That seems to be his weapon of choice- other than his car. These fighting hoodlums need to be put in programs for minors with violent tendancies if they can't behave.
Lack of parenting, violence
Lack of parenting, violence in movies/TV/games, certain music, violence around them have gotten these kids out of control. The result: they are violent and like to fight, dispectful to authority, unreasonable, and some, apathetic toward school and life in general. People who don't work in these schools have no idea what teachers, administrators, security guards, and other school workers deal with on a daily basis with these kids. They are so bad, it is a shame. Ironically, most parents think their kids are good, but have no idea how they are when they are away from them. They get in school, around their friends, and are totally different. We need to go to the bible to find out how to raise our kids right. No one else has answers.
What should be done?
So the individual was warned multiple times and in response to those warnings, swung on security. A councilman says OC shouldn't be used? Maybe instead of worrying about how the individual that is out of control is treated, maybe we should be applauding this security person for protecting our school children, staff and himself. Maybe our councilman should provide some ideas of what SHOULD be done instead of what shouldn't. If you read the comments here councilman, your feelings don't very well align with the feelings of your constituents. I love the comment about councilmen/women acting as security for a time period. Think they might appreciate a little pepper spray in their pocket – just in case? Any takers from our leadership?
Mandatory School Attendance Destroying Good Students
School attendance should not be mandatory. Schools should only be populated by students who are eager and want to learn. Mandatory attendance forces bad children into a situation that they fight against causing disruption and conflict. These bad children should be left to go wild away from the good children who want to attend school in a peaceful and educational environment. Those bad children will then be seen for what they are, failures, and that will set an example that other children will not want to follow.