White Plains CitizeNetReporter - Punishment for Food Fighters Uncertain at this Time. 6 Suspended Currently

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. June 12, 2012: At the Final Board of Education meeting of the year, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Christopher Clouet commented on the Food Fight “incident” that Clouet said took White Plains High administrators by surprise when it erupted in the high school cafeteria last Thursday. He said names of the students involved would not be released to the media Clouet indicated the fate of the identified participants is uncertain, pending Superintendent’s Hearings for each student. Previously senior participants in the unprovoked food fight (it was just started as a so-called “senior prank,” deteriorating to the point where “water” balloons of urine were alleged to be thrown, according to students who were there. No parents addressed the Board during the public comment portion of the meeting expressing concern about the incident. Clouet told the attendees at the Board meeting, the so-called senior prank “went a little awry and unfortunately a food fight that developed and it was an embarrassing situation, and just like in any family some things happen that you’re not proud of. This would be that kind of moment for us." “With that said, most of the kids at the high school were not even aware of it (the food fight) at that time, certainly regulatory had no information of any kind. It did not result in any kind of fisticuffs or arrests or things like that, but it was unseemly that type of behavior. The high school administrators and the teachers did a great job getting kids back in the classrooms safely. The rest of the day was uneventful. There were no serious injuries. “In any event, we were not happy about it. The investigation into who was responsible for organizing it is well underway and there already have been some suspensions and we have already scheduled Superintendent hearings to discuss further acts of discipline . “This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. It does not reflect most of the kids in our school. Take one of those (copies of The Orange, the high school newspaper), with you (and he opened to the center spread showing college acceptancees’ pictures) in the middle you will see a listing of all the seniors and all the colleges going to. This is what represents White Plains High School. Not that unfortunate incident.” Clouet told WPCNR before he spoke to the meeting that 6 Seniors had already been suspended, but it has not been decided whether those seniors will be excluded from participating in High School graduation June 21 as had been previously told to WPCNR by sources who said they were familiar with calls that went out to parents of those seniors. Clouet said some students from other classes had “high-jacked” the event, and they are in the process of being identified and Superintendents’ hearings scheduled. WPCNR asked how many, Clouet said 10 to 15 students will be talked to about participation in the incident. He said that the high school nurse had reported two him two injuries, a girl with a “badly sprained ankle, (not broken),” and a student whom Clouet did not know was a boy or girl, hit upon the head with an apple. He said no student was hospitalized. Asked if slingshots had been used to launch projectiles of food, Clouet said he was uncertain. He said White Plains Police did not play a role in stopping the incident and were only asked to come after the incident was over, to assure that that the incident did not start again during school dismissal. Asked to comment on the YouTube videos posted by students after the incident showing students stampeding down the halls with no sounds of public address system announcements heard, Clouet said there were announcements, but bullhorns were not used by security personnel. He said administrators were called in from other schools in the district. He reported it took 10 to 15 minutes to stop the food fight. He assured WPCNR that next year’s senior class would be told in no uncertain terms to “make sure this doesn’t happen again.”


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