RUMORS OF VIOLENCE KEEP STUDENTS AWAY; AREA SCHOOLS ROCKED BY SCARE; PUPIL ABSENCES RISE FAR ABOVE NORM AS FEAR WEIGHS HEAVY.Byline: Jesse Hiestand Daily News Staff Writer Despite tight security at Los Angeles-area schools Friday, hundreds of students stayed out of classes following rumors that the Colorado high school massacre would trigger copycat violence. No incidents were reported on any campuses, but students and administrators alike were on edge. ``I was afraid to come to school today, but my grandpa made me,'' said 15-year-old Terrin Caselli, a sophomore at Granada Hills High School Granada Hills Charter High School (Granada Hills High School) is a public, charter, co-educational, secondary school consisting of students in grades 9-12. The school colors are green, black, and white. . ``It makes me more scared to know they're taking it so seriously.'' Across the nation, fear and rumors disrupted campuses, prompting President Clinton to promise a White House meeting on youth violence. In Atlanta, the schools superintendent said she would seek a state law authorizing local school districts to arm administrators with Mace, pepper spray or an electronic stun device called a Taser. In the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. , rumors of violence at Granada Hills High School led 653 students out of 3,500 to stay home, about three times the usual number. The campus added a Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. police officer, while Los Angeles police cruised the surrounding streets. Extra administrators walked the halls. ``The students wanted to see the extra security today,'' said Granada Hills High Principal Kathleen Rattay. ``Most of the students realize this is just hearsay hearsay: see evidence. . Nonetheless, they want to know what we're doing to ensure their safety,'' she said. With no incidents on campus, Rattay said she hopes most students will return Monday after having the weekend to calm their nerves. Campus not alone Hundreds of students returned to Taft High School in Woodland Hills on Friday, a day after some 800 students stayed home because of rumored violence there. The absentee count of 413 was above normal, district officials said. ``We don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. how it will be in another day or two, but everything seems to be fine right now,'' said Taft Assistant Principal Jim Szabo. Many students blamed the hysteria on those few fellow classmates Classmates can refer to either:
v. t. 1. To turn (an opportunity) to one's advantage; to take advantage of (a situation); to profit from; as, to capitalize on an opponent's mistakes s>. the fear following the attack last week at Columbine High School Columbine High School is a secondary school in unincorporated Jefferson County, Colorado. The school is located at 6201 South Pierce Street, one mile west of the Littleton city limits and half a mile south of the Denver city/county line. in Colorado. The April 20 attack occurred on the anniversary of Adolf Hitler's birth. Other Southland schools had similar experiences Friday. About 75 percent of the 2,100 students at La Mirada La Mirada (lä mĭrä`də), city (1990 pop. 40,452), Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1960. La Mirada derives from the Spanish for "the view," referring to the panoramic view of the surrounding valleys from atop the city's hills. High School skipped school because of rumors, although district officials said they had received no telephone call, letter or other specific threat. Patrols increased elsewhere In the Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley , stories circulating that attacks were planned for Friday, the 54th anniversary of Adolf Hitler's suicide, led sheriff's deputies in patrol cars to be posted in front of Highland and Quartz Hill high schools in the morning as other deputies went to Palmdale High at lunch time. LAUSD LAUSD Los Angeles Unified School District (Los Angeles, CA) school psychologist and crisis specialist Rich Lieberman said it is not uncommon for children to respond to a tragedy like that in Littleton, Colo., by either being hypervigilant about their safety or lashing out in unpredictable ways. ``Acting the fool is one way kids respond to traumatic experiences,'' Lieberman said of those who have sparked rumors on school campuses. Indeed, several students said their classmates joked about the rumors. ``Even at nutrition I overheard people saying, the day's not over yet - something could still happen,'' said Granada Hills High senior Mike Falcon, 18. For other kids, the fear generated by a massacre, even one hundreds of miles away, can have a lasting effect, occasionally turning up in sleeping and eating disorders eating disorders, in psychology, disorders in eating patterns that comprise four categories: anorexia nervosa, bulimia, rumination disorder, and pica. Anorexia nervosa is characterized by self-starvation to avoid obesity. . ``What tragedies like this do is shake children to their very core feelings of safety and security,'' Lieberman said. More than 1,000 angry and concerned parents and students packed Quartz Hill High gymnasium to question school and sheriff's officials about school safety after hearing reports of a plot to blow up the school. Quartz Hill High `safe' The students insisted it was a hoax. ``This is a safe campus,'' Quartz Hill High Principal Barbara Willibrand told a crowd Thursday night. ``I know in my heart that we do not have a problem on this campus.'' Despite reassurances, parents and students were still concerned. ``I really don't feel safe here because there's been things like this before, and until it got a lot of attention they've never really done anything about it,'' said junior Hanna Kaplar. ``These threats have been going on for a while, and until the Colorado shooting they didn't take it seriously.'' Daily News Staff Writers Patricia Aidem, Cecilia Chan and Paul O'Donoghue contributed to this story. CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO (Color) A Columbine High School sophomore and her mother leave nearby Chatfield High School Chatfield Senior High is a high school located in Littleton, Colorado. It is part of the Jefferson County Public Schools system. Chatfield Senior High School opened in the fall of 1985; there was no senior class its first year. . Ed Andrieski/Associated Press |
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