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.