Antonio Villaraigosa (then, Tony Villar) leading a protest to include the Communist organization "Committee to Free Los Tres" on the Steering Committee of the Chicano Studies Center. UCLA campus, May 23, 1974.
Posted on 05/18/2005 3:29:13 PM PDT by BurbankKarl
WOODLAND HILLS - A series of fights broke out today at Taft High School ahead of a scheduled visit by Mayor-elect Antonio Villaraigosa, and school officials disputing claims by parents and students who said the brawls appeared racially motivated.
As many as 17 patrol cars and an LAPD helicopter were dispatched to the Ventura Boulevard campus about 10 a.m., a Los Angeles Police Department spokeswoman said.
Taft Principal Sharon Thomas said there were three separate fights among ninth-graders lining up to take standardized tests in a multi-purpose room. Six students were detained for questioning and the others were sent to their home rooms, she said.
Sandra Torres, 18, a senior, said she saw a number of students hop a fence onto campus and run toward a group of students.
"They started beating up on anybody they came across. There must have been 50 people involved. Ten people were hurt with bloody noses (and) lying on the ground.
"It was a lot of violence," she said. "I was scared."
Thomas and Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Roy Romer said the fights were not between Latino and African-American students, despite what many students reported.
"It was a limited thing," Romer said. "It was not racial."
Villaraigosa, appearing with Romer during a news conference, reiterated district officials' comments that the violence was not racially motivated.
But Erika Robles, 17, a junior, said the fighting occurred between African-American and Latino students.
About 40 parents rushed to the campus, many of them called by students using cell phones.
Carletha Lee, whose nieces and nephews attend the campus, said the district and the mayor-elect were not being candid with parents.
"You can only stomach so much, the fact that (Villaraigosa) is downplaying a serious situation.... He wants to discount this as a simple fight between students. We clearly know this is not the case," she said.
Antonio Villaraigosa (then, Tony Villar) leading a protest to include the Communist organization "Committee to Free Los Tres" on the Steering Committee of the Chicano Studies Center. UCLA campus, May 23, 1974.
Anything to do with Senor Fox's comment the other day?
The first step, Mr. Mayor, is admitting you have a problem.
Maybe the kids of the illegals think they have free reign now that an Hispanic is mayor. Maybe they figure he will do what he can to protect them.
Don't you just love the public schools?
There are Mexican vs Black fights at LAUSD schools just about every week of the year. Trying to tie them to V's election is a wee bit of a stretch.
That is one way to get the standardized tests cancelled.
Ha, KFIAM640 is going to talk about this race riot up next.
As I remember from my days in LAUSD, Taft used to have one major fight a week. This is nothing new.
"African-American and Latino students."
This is not the race riot you are looking for. Move along.
Taft has become quite a hub a violence. And, what a good plan to deny the fights are 'racial.' That's what they say in Santa Monica and South Central, too. I went to public high school. We didn't have campus police. This is part of the twisted liberal mentality that regards public schools as a means to keep gangsters off the streets. What a treat for the teachers.
I graduated from Taft in the 60's. I don't think I would recognize it now. Last time I went to Woodland Hills there was a helocopter flying over Taft because of some other problem there. Happy to have left all of that behind.
Most people don't realize that there are 100K gang members in LA and it's just a matter of time before there will be riots and the California National Guard will have to be called out sooner or later to "take out the trash"...
nope, nada, nyet...they will never admit to it....
As I remember from my high school days Taft kids didn't fight - they just cruised around in Pops car looking to pickup Louisville girls and ditching class to go surfin'
Guard will go in if the governor authorizes it. But he or she will spend 72 hours doing their political calculus before a decision is made. Local cops will be guarding police HQ, city hall and mayor's home. Guess who will be on their own for 72 hours, the law abiding citizen caught in the riot zone. Better own a gun, because none will be available unless you kill a gang member with your cold bare hands and take his weapon.
He had even earlier training. He was at Roosevelt High School at the time the Brown Berets
organized a walkout (50% of students) that resulted in criminal indictments.
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