Administrators at Rich South High School late Tuesday appeared to back off a controversial weeks-old policy requiring students attending after-school events–including athletic contests–to be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
They now say they would like to bar only those students who have disciplinary problems. School officials said the stringent rule came in response to a fight on the Richton Park campus grounds after a Dec. 2 basketball game. The brawl involved some 100 students, seven of whom were arrested. No one was seriously injured, but school officials said they wanted to take a proactive stance against violence.
Administrators on Tuesday evening asked the district superintendent to sign off on a modified plan. The original rule did not apply to participants in sporting and other events, only spectators.
Principal Roudell Kirkwood said he expected a response from District 227 Supt. Howard Hunigan Wednesday.
The proposal to repeal the policy comes days before the school’s popular annual 16-team Big Dipper holiday basketball tournament.
Hunigan said last week that he supported the decision to require parents and guardians at after-school events, saying it was a “a wake up call” for those looking to start trouble.
“We felt we needed to make a statement to our students about their responsibility,” Hunigan said. “We are just concerned about the security aspect.”
But the policy left some students–those whose parents or guardians work late–without an escort and therefore unable to attend events.
Rich South boosters were few and far between at a weekend basketball game against Rich East, which has no such policy and had many more fans seated on their side of the gym.
Rich South students who were there said the policy damaged school spirit and hurt the players’ motivation. The students said the one-size-fits-all attitude unfairly punished good kids.
“Last week we were booed at our own school because there was no one to cheer us on,” said Nicole Daniel, 15.
But Andre McDonald, 22, who graduated in 2004, said he wishes the policy had been in place when he was a student.
“There are too many fights,” he said as he watched his younger brother play. “They take it too far, coming up here and acting a fool. There were fights when my older brother was here in 1995.”
Princess Perkins, who was watching her son play, said she supported the school’s decision.
“We’ve had problems with kids being a little out of control,” she said. “There’s security, but it doesn’t work. Somebody’s going to get hurt.”
Her husband, Norris, said parental supervision would keep kids out of trouble and make them less likely to have a run-in with police.
“With the parents there, there’s a lot more chance for correcting a problem without law enforcement,” he said.
Lakesha Payne, whose son was playing in the game, said older people who once enjoyed attending such events were afraid to come out in support of the team because of what might occur in the parking lot afterward.
“It was wild,” she said, describing the games before the rule went into effect.
Kirkwood said some students tried to test the school’s policy and were turned away at the door. Others didn’t bother to show up, he said.
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jnapolitano@tribune.com
