Bong scare forces school to evacuate students

San Antonio Express-News ^ | 03/05/2004 | Jeorge Zarazua

[SwinneySwitch]

A device that appeared to be a pipe bomb forced Karnes City High School to be evacuated today, allowing police to investigate the suspicious item.

A custodian making his routine rounds reported the device at about 10:30 a.m. in the boys restroom.

"It turned out that it was not a bomb," said Principal Ron Cline. "What we found is that it was a b-o-n-g, bong. Not a b-o-m-b, bomb."

The nearly 300 students returned to classes after sitting in the bleachers at the football field for about 15 minutes.

Cline said it was an understandable mistake, even for a small Central Texas town.

"When you first look at it, it looks like a pipe bomb," he said, adding it didn't obviously resemble the upright cylindrical water pipes often used for smoking marijuana. "It was kind of ominous looking. When (police) first saw it, they thought it was one, too."

The 6-inch metal pipe had caps on both ends, with clay covering a hole in the middle, officials said.

Cline said an unlit marijuana cigarette was found attached to the device, a rarity in itself for Karnes City ISD.

"We've not taken any marijuana off anybody in the two years I've been here," he said.

The district's superintendent, Bernard Zarosky, said school officials and police are investigating the incident, but had not detained anyone.

"Anytime you can't identify something, you want to get the students out of harm's way just as a precaution," Zarosky said.

----------jzarazua@express-news.net

[SwinneySwitch]

This had to be a riot!:^)

[annyokie]

This is my fault for telling that obnoxious poster to put down the bong.

[annyokie]

ISHP!

[WhiteGuy]

""We've not taken any marijuana off anybody in the two years I've been here," he said."

I guess these good folks have a realistic approach to law enforcement.

[Rabid Dog]

Shall we share bong stories?

[Wilhelm Tell]

With our zero tolerance panics, I wouldn't be surprised if they evacuated the school and sent in a SWAT team if someone found a cigarette in the bathroom.

[Joe Hadenuf]

The people in control of the public schools are a bunch of hysterical, frightened, freaks....

[BansheeBill]

Someone set us up the Bong.

[VOA]

With our zero tolerance panics, I wouldn't be surprised if they evacuated the school
and sent in a SWAT team if someone found a cigarette in the bathroom.

Or an aspirin.
Or some of those dangerous-to-one-in-a-thousand peanuts.

[Bob J]

"We've not taken any marijuana off anybody in the two years I've been here," he said.

Well, they have, it just never reached the evidence room.

[Rabid Dog]

Isn't that called "catch and release"?

[Welsh Rabbit]

The 6-inch metal pipe had caps on both ends, with clay covering a hole in the middle, officials said.

Doesn't sound much like a bong, more like poor attempt to McGuyver up a crude steam roller or something of the sort. Amateur. I'd investigate the freshmen...

[Rabid Dog]

It probably reeked.

[Elliott Jackalope]

"Someone set us up the Bong!"

For Great Justice!

Or, failing that, a decent head rush.

"All your bong hits are belong to us...."

[Welsh Rabbit]

Metal isn't a good material for pipes of any kind. I'm still wondering why the hole was covered with clay, or why someone even brought it if they already rolled a joint. Maybe it was just used as a container, but I doubt it. Oh well, kids are dumb. A guy in my sophmore English class got busted bringing vodka to school in a plastic ziplock bag. To this day I'm still baffled about his choice of container. Why not a Sprite or a water bottle?

[KangarooJacqui]

Gen-X headline: "Local police hits on the bong..."

(with apologies to the rap group Cypress Hill.)

[He Rides A White Horse]

The people in control of the public schools are a bunch of hysterical, frightened, freaks....

You truly have had enough........LOL (non-hostile post)

[Khurkris]

Dave's not here Man...

[tubavil]

"We've not taken any marijuana off anybody in the two years I've been here," he [principal Cline] said.

They must all got have real good english classes they're to.

[3catsanadog]

The nearly 300 students returned to classes after sitting in the bleachers at the football field for about 15 minutes.

Trauma counselors were available for students who were upset about the events and only being able to sit out school work for 15 minutes.