About 50 parents, students and other community supporters are at the Keller school district administration building Friday protesting officials' decision to ban some students participating in graduation ceremonies following a food fight that got out of control.
On May 25, police were called to Keller Central High School to break up a food fight. That same day police responded calls at Timber Creek High School where students released rats, crickets, snakes and birds and had thrown stink bombs and balloons filled with baby oil.
Ten seniors from Central High and four at Timber Creek High were prohibited from participating in Saturday's graduation ceremonies because of pranks at the school.
Today's protesters were largely from Central High, including senior Martin Alvarez, one of those banned at Central. He denies he participated in the food fight but said a teacher told officials he did. Alvarez said he was standing near a big group of students at the time.
"There's no video evidence, no proof of any of that," Alvarez said. "I was just standing back observing trying to dodge it all."
Keller officials issued a statement Friday saying that so far, two families have officially filed an appeal with central administrators asking that the punishment be reversed. However, the soonest those appeals could be heard is Monday, after the graduation. Officials said that timeline has been explained to the families involved and their supporters.
School officials said in a release earlier this week that the students "created an unsafe environment through reckless disregard for the safety of other students, and were witnessed by campus staff or administrators doing so."
Vidi Martinez, whose son Jesse Garcia was banned from Central's graduation, said her son denies participating in the food fight. She said he was watching the events unfold with no video evidence of his participation either.
"He's being accused of doing something he didn't do," she said.
Keller parents need to get over it. This is just an early lesson in consequences for your actions. These consequences will be more frequent in the years after graduation.
Posted by: Vaughn Roberts | June 01, 2012 at 11:42 AM
dont do actions that are wrong. and if you see them, move away quickly or risk being involved.
Posted by: joseph vea'nueva | June 01, 2012 at 12:10 PM
They need to be banned. The parents should teach their kids better. The kids knew they would be some kind of punishment. Hang in there adminstration.
Posted by: Virginia Preas | June 01, 2012 at 12:12 PM
If your not sure who did it you can not just blame who you think might be involved.
Posted by: CynCyn | June 01, 2012 at 12:26 PM
Keller parents need to get over it. This is just an early lesson in how power hungry minor league administrators will be convicting your children without evidence or trial. These high-handed over-reactions will be more frequent in the years after graduation.
Posted by: Doc | June 01, 2012 at 12:26 PM