Black Panthers Demand Campus Security

An interesting article I pinched whole cloth from www.chron.com


March 1, 2006, 11:24PM
Activists beseech HISD officials to safeguard students
School district chief says campus security measures are under review

By JENNIFER RADCLIFFE
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

Concerned about two recent sexual assaults on school campuses, minority community activists urged HISD Superintendent Abelardo Saavedra on Wednesday to take more aggressive steps to safeguard students.

Saavedra, who has held the top post in the state's largest school district for 15 months, needs to add officers, ask for community help to patrol campuses and make sure the public receives accurate information about campus crimes, activists said.

They also want security cameras on every campus and extra officers at schools in neighborhoods with high numbers of registered sex offenders.

"The honeymoon is over. We gave him his learning curve. Now it's time for him to implement what we believe is in his heart," Robert Muhammad, a minister and southwest regional representative with the Nation of Islam, said after a two-hour, closed-door meeting with Saavedra.

Muhammad and others are angry because they think district officials downplayed a sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl at Westbury High School in February and the sexual assault of a 10-year-old at Burrus Elementary School in January. Both attacks occurred in girls' restrooms.

They said that claims that HISD spokesman Terry Abbott questioned the integrity of the girls involved should be investigated. If they're true, Abbott should be fired, they said.

"No rape victim, no sexual assault victim, no crime victim should be further victimized while an investigation is taking place," Muhammad said.

Abbott said Wednesday that the allegations are incorrect, but he declined to comment further.

After the meeting, Saavedra said he has already discussed the incidents with Abbott and does not plan to launch an inquiry into how the events were handled. "I can say emphatically that Terry has my full and total confidence," Saavedra said in a statement.

Saavedra added that HISD is reviewing security measures at all campuses.

The 160-member school police department grew by 10 percent earlier this year, and additional random drug and weapon searches will start within the week, district officials said.

Saavedra's also expected to meet today with the families of both victims.

School board member Kevin Hoffman, who represents Burrus Elementary, said Wednesday's meeting was positive. "I left the meeting feeling confident that the administration is going to take the proactive steps necessary to address the concerns that have been expressed by some community members," he said.

Hoffman said he couldn't comment further on the criminal investigations.

Local New Black Panther Party leader Quanell X said he expects HISD to take swift action, despite concerns over budget shortfalls.

League of United Latin American Citizens officials who attended the meeting said they anticipate immediate improvements from HISD.

jennifer.radcliffe@chron.com