The Virginian-Pilot
©
NORFOLK
Pepper spray might seem like an unusual and dramatic way to stop a food fight, but Ada Blair, PTA president at Lafayette-Winona Middle School, says a security guard was justified in doing just that at the school this week.
"There was nothing else the security guard could have done - chairs and everything were being thrown," Blair said Friday.
Blair said the guard involved is a woman of small stature. "The security guard is in there by herself, trying to keep order, and these kids - I hate to say it - they don't have any home training, they don't respect anybody."
Blair, who was also PTA president last year, said while the majority of Lafayette-Winona students behave themselves, disciplinary problems by some are chronic.
"If some of these parents started being held accountable for their students' behavior, things will change and that's what's holding up the test scores there and everything else," she said. The school is among 10 in Norfolk that didn't win full state accreditation this school year, based on student performance exams.
Norfolk is the only division in South Hampton Roads that arms school security guards with pepper spray.
Superintendent Richard Bentley said after the incident that he is awaiting more information before commenting on the matter or assessing whether the use of pepper spray this week met division guidelines.
Division spokeswoman Karen Tanner said Friday that 37 Lafayette-Winona students who were in the vicinity of the pepper spray or who complained of physical symptoms were examined by the school nurse after the incident, which occurred Tuesday. She said the matter is still under investigation and no other details were available.
Division policy stipulates that the spray "shall not be used except when all other, lesser alternatives have proved ineffective.
"Security officers shall never use OC spray on a person who is already compliant or in situations involving merely verbal threats or abuse," the police states. OC stands for oleoresin capiscum, the technical term for pepper spray. No other substances, such as Mace, are permitted.
The guidelines state that the spray should never be used closer than four feet or farther than six feet from the target individual, and no more than a one-second burst shall be used. When possible, guards are supposed to warn the individual of their intention to use the spray.
They are also supposed to consider the presence of "innocent bystanders" before using the spray, the policy states.
Security guards must get training. The division's most recent training session for security staffers was Aug. 30 through Sept. 2, division records show.
No other local division employs armed, civilian school security guards like those in Norfolk.
In Suffolk, sworn police officers are on duty in middle and high schools; it does not have civilian security guards like Norfolk. In Chesapeake, Virginia Beach and Portsmouth, security staffers do not carry spray or any other weapon. Police officers assigned to the schools in each division carry handguns and standard issue police equipment.
Norfolk school security guards' duties include detaining individuals who violate the law on school grounds, stopping altercations, arguments or other forms of disruptive or illegal behavior, and patrolling the premises.
Steven G. Vegh, (757) 446-2417, steven.vegh@pilotonline.com
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The Main Problem was the Security Guard
You don't hire a small framed security guard to handle a group of high school kids. You need someone like an ex-seal that can grab the kids and knock the hell out of them. Pepper Spray is too easy. The only ones below that are against Pepper Spray on the ones who's kids don't know how to act in public, because the parents don't know how to act in public. These are the same kids raising hell in the malls and hanging out on the streets. The same kids taking drugs, the same kids hanging out in parks looking for someone to give them something for free.
Why would the guard be
Why would the guard be allowed to have pepper spray if it couldn't be used in such an extreme instance such as this? Wet noodles don't get the job done.
What if...?
What if a student had received a concussion or had been killed, and the security guard had not responded? Be realistic - the guard deserves an award for stopping a bunch of hoodlums from taking over the cafeteria. What responsible parents want their behaving child to be around such criminals? Yes, criminals. As Barney Fife used to say, "Nip it in the bud!"
Did I mention
Did I mention that Norfolk Public Schools is a trap? Yep, a trap to the students who want to learn, to the decent hard working administers who are bound by a numbers game, and to the parents who want their children to learn but are distracted and robbed by the thug classmates they sit next to.
Justice sprayed!
These kids act like animals they should be subdued line animals. This behavior is occurring daily across the district. Granby high school, where my child attends has had a daily occurrence of this to the point special needs children can't even eat their lunch out of fear. So if spraying these thugs is what it takes, I will donate to getting this spray hookup up to hoses if necessary.
Unless you are present
one cant really judge if the use of spray was appropriate.If minors behave like this it is clearly indicative of their parent. We need to start holding loser parents responsible, if they can't handle it take custody and $ from parents that don't care.It's easier to influence these kids the younger they are. Schools are supposed to educate not discipline, if your kid cannot handle himself appropriately then it is your fault and you need to get your hiney to school to babysit them/pick them up, if you refuse to show up and do your job then taxpayers need to take your benefit checks from you and give them to someone that will do your job. And if a officer needs to be called because of your kid, you should pay the bill not me.
No it was NOT Justified
As a Police Officer for 25+ years there is no way the use of OC in this case can be justified This was a case that should have resulted in a call to 911 and have police respond this guard did not take in consideration the innocent students in the area when she deployed the OC Spray In 25 years I can count on one hand how many times I used OC during fights mainly because of people around me. During training you are taught that over spray effects are widespread often affecting those using the spray and innocent bystanders I have seen spray used in many occasions quite frankly because the officer was scared and lost control themselves This is a case where retraining is necessary After all OC is a less than lethal use of force not nonlethal
Agree
I agree, bring in the local police to shoot these kids. This will definitely end the problem. All kidding aside, most City Government Schools now employee many part time police officers to keep peace during the day. One in particular is Kings Fork High School and the kids in that school know how to behave are polite and respect the teachers. I don't have any kids there, but have experienced it first hand. Maybe the administrators should go there and learn that hiring the right person for the right job is important.
Throwing chairs can cause death. Get it now?Training now ended.
Throwing chairs can cause death. Get it now? Training now ended.
Where were the administrators?
The students should be assigned seats in the cafeteria and teachers required to supervise the students. Guidance counselors and administrators should be required to supervise lunches. Require all troublemakers identified in this incident to eat lunch in a special classroom.
Expel anyone who threw a chair.
The staff that supervises the lunches should receive combat pay.