Corpus Christi Caller Times Caller.com - Alice gets 4th threat in 4 days

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Friday, March 30, 2001
Alice gets 4th threat in 4 days
Parents are angered when kids can't go
By Mary Moreno
Caller-Times

George Tuley/Caller-Times

Alice High School students evacuate the school when the fourth bomb threat is called in for the fourth consecutive day. School officials have taken precautions by not allowing students to bring backpacks to school.

ALICE - Officials at Alice High School kept cars and backpacks away from the school Thursday, but they couldn't stop a bomb threat from being phoned in for the fourth day in a row.
   A day after two people were arrested for making bomb threats and the first day backpacks and cars were banned on campus, Alice High received its sixth bomb scare in about three weeks.
   In what has become a familiar routine, the school was evacuated during second period and students made the trip to the football stadium, waiting for police to give the OK to return.
   "The kids have gotten really good at evacuating," said Principal Amy Koenning. "Ninety-nine percent of the kids want to be in school and do what is right. It's too bad we have one person messing up the whole system."
   Several parents showed up at the stadium Thursday wanting to take their children home. When school officials didn't allow the students to go home, some parents became irate and started chanting "Let them go!"
   Some students then tried to climb the fence surrounding the stadium, urged on by chants of "climb the fence," from the parents.
   Alice Police Lt. Luis Barrera said the parents' frustrated behavior didn't help matters Thursday.
   "If we could get cooperation from the parents, that would help us out a lot," he said.
   Barrera said one student was arrested for disorderly conduct and one parent was taken to the hospital after she hyperventilated.
   The threats have affected nearly every aspect of life at the school.
   Attendance was down more than 10 percent Thursday.
   The school newspaper, scheduled to go to print Friday, will be delayed at least a week because the journalism class hasn't been able to meet.
   And the bomb threats have disrupted rehearsals and practices.
   Now school officials are waiting to hear from the Texas Education Agency on how much of the time lost during the evacuations must be made up.
   The time likely would be made up during the Easter Break or at the end of the school year.
   "There are going to be a lot of consequences from this that I don't think anyone has thought of," Koenning said.
   School officials announced several measures Wednesday they hoped would make it easier to search and clear the school.
   A bomb-sniffing dog went through the school before students arrived.
   Students and teachers driving to the school parked at the football stadium and the Instructional Support Center Annex and were shuttled to the school.
   The dogs also inspected the students who were told to leave their backpacks at home.
   "Whatever needs to be done for their safety is the most important thing," said Rosie C. Garcia whose daughter Leiselle is a freshman at the school.
   "You just don't know if it's true or not so you can't just downplay it."
   For students like Jessica Ramos, Amber Boehm and Angelica Valero, juniors at the school, the security measures are necessary even if they are stifling.
   Said Jessica, "It's kind of scary."

Staff writer Mary Moreno can be reached at 886-3774 or by e-mail at morenom@caller.com

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