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School fight may be racial
By IVAN PENN
Published November 9, 2006
Seven people were arrested Wednesday afternoon following what police are calling a racially charged incident at a Largo High School football practice. Police did not release names and ages of those arrested, though at least some of them are believed to be juveniles. Police said the arrests followed a disturbance at the practice during which some students accused other students of using racial slurs. As many as 50 students were involved or witnessed the clash, said Largo police Sgt. Leonard Ward. The trouble appeared to begin at a nearby Wendy's, police said, but it was unclear what happened there that led to the incident on campus. Largo High principal Jeffrey Haynes said he would begin an investigation today. He said he did not become aware of the incident until 7 p.m. Wednesday. The school had early dismissal Wednesday, with classes ending at 11:30 a.m., so faculty and staff could participate in meetings and workshops on campus. No one mentioned the disturbance during those meetings, Haynes said. He said an assistant principal heard about a problem at Wendy's, but "by the time one of our assistant principals went over there, it was over." A parent, Lisa Decker, said the incident involved a dispute between some black students and her 14-year-old daughter, who is white. Decker said her daughter had dated an African-American member of the football team, but they had stopped dating a year ago. While the player and her daughter remain cordial, Decker said some other students have taunted her daughter. Decker said the taunting peaked at the Wendy's after school. Decker said she went to pick up her daughter about 11:50 a.m., and found herself in the middle of the dispute with several African-American students, and that one of them punched her in the face. "I never in my life have seen anything like it," said Decker, who complained of a sore jaw. Decker said she was troubled because police arrested only whites when she was struck by a black student. Police confirmed that all of those arrested were white. She said Wednesday night her daughter complained of e-mails that threatened more confrontations.
[Last modified November 9, 2006, 01:43:50]
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by Fred
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11/10/06 05:52 PM
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Ms. Decker should have known this would happen when she let her 13 year old daughter associate with a negro boy.
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by frank
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11/09/06 09:53 PM
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this article failed to mention the race of the arresting officer. i wonder...
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by Gump
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11/09/06 09:06 PM
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"never fought the American Indian and never defended it"? wth are you talking about?
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by JOhn
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11/09/06 06:11 PM
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i'm done with diversity. Blacks and Mexicans never fought the American Indian and never defended it. I'm over these people.
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by lynn
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11/09/06 05:47 PM
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I am a student at Largo High and was present when this all happened. It is true that "Boggie" the black male hit Megan's mom in the face. She was trying to break up the fight and he hit her.
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by Lee
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11/09/06 11:21 AM
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OK. If Mrs. Deckeer was punched in the face by a black student, then why were only white students arrested.
It's no wonder blacks feel free to create disturbnces when they can do so without fear of any accountibility for their actions
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