Campus Scare Over Racial Tension

By Jessica Taloney Reporter

Threats of violence at a Bayou La Batre school kept many kids at home Friday. Campus Scare Over Racial Tension

Published: Fri, March 21, 2008 - 4:03 pm

Jessica Taloney

Bayou La Batre police kept a close eye on a local high school Friday after word spread about racial tension on campus.
School officials tell News Five it's all based on rumors, but parents and students at Alama Bryant High School were concerned.
Principal Larry Mouton says everything started earlier in the week when two students got in an argument over the confederate flag. A student came to school with the symbol on his pickup truck and another student demanded that he remove it.
"The first student felt it was his right to have it and the second student, who felt insulted by the flag, took it down," said Mouton. "They became angry at one another and bowed up to each other."
But, what could have just been a school yard fight turned in to more. Parents afraid of violence on the campus kept their kids home, and others who allowed their kids to go to class, came back early to pick them up.
"Rumors started Wednesday about racial arguments down here, so I kept my son out of school Thursday," said Michele Tomlin, who came to the school Friday morning to check on her child.
Another parent, Regina Gulley, also came to the campus to pick up her kid. "It's going to be a hostile situation this afternoon and I refuse to have my child involved," she said.
Despite the threats, the Alma Bryant campus was quiet all day long, and school officials tell us they aren't expecting any trouble. Mouton says what was an isolated incident between two students simply escalated because students spread the rumors through text messages.
"They text messaged me saying something about a gun and a bomb," said Louella Williams, who has two granddaughters at Alma Bryant. "I'd rather be safe than sorry," said Williams who said she was glad her girls had a cell phone to let her know there was potential trouble.
Mouton says while he understands parent's concerns, he insists the students are safe at school. In fact, his son is a student at Alma Bryant and attended class Friday.

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sjcmom365 Says:

Mon, Apr 07, 2008 at 4:08 pm

20 years ago, we didnt have the trouble we do in schools today. I dont have a child old enough to have a cell phone, but with todays times, I would feel more comfortable with my child having his cell phone at school in case of an emergency. If cell phones were to be used “in case of an emergency”, I think they should allow kids to have them at school. Thats the only way or purpose for them to have cell phones at school. Just my opinion tho…

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working4u Says:

Mon, Apr 07, 2008 at 3:46 pm

It is amazing how schools got along without cell phones 20 years ago. If you needed to call in case of an emergency you went to the office and requested to use the phone.

It is against school rules to bring cell phones on campus. Hello parents. Are you so dumb as to not understand why? This is exactly what is wrong with children today. Some parents always have some stupid excuse why their children break rules.

Since we still have parents that are still just plain stupid enough to allow kids to bring phones on campus a device needs to be in place that zapps out the phone permanently when the students enter the school. Maybe if parents find themselves replacing their childrens cell phone they will help inforce the rules.

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