Police called to quell RP high school unrest - focus centers on Conservative Club

The Press Democrat ^ | 01/17/2004 | ROBERT DIGITALE

[the_devils_advocate_666]

Fifteen police officers responded Friday to student unrest at Rohnert Park’s Rancho Cotate High, prompting an investigation into the disturbance and whether it related in any way to some students’ anger toward the school’s Conservative Club.

School officials believe there were at least three separate disturbances, said district Superintendent Michael Watenpaugh. But he would not characterize the disturbances and he said it was too early to conclude whether any involved student fighting or threats.

“Nothing similar to this has occurred in the four years that I’ve been principal,” Principal Mitchell Carter said of Friday’s unrest.

The disturbances came as the Conservative Club was conducting its weekly noon meeting on campus. The club has become a lightning rod for both supporters of its conservative viewpoints and opponents upset by what they charge has been the inflammatory rhetoric of its president.

Police said their initial investigation suggested that a spectator at Friday’s Conservative Club meeting had left the classroom and said something that agitated other students toward club members. The exiting student appeared to have misquoted some comments made in the meeting, said Police Sgt. Art Sweeney.

Illegal immigration was among the topics discussed at the meeting and has previously led to student anger toward the club and Tim Bueler, its president. But neither police nor school officials could confirm what was said outside the club meeting, or what caused the unrest.

Watenpaugh and Carter said they were not even sure that any of the disturbances had anything to do with the club or the content of Friday’s meeting.

“We’re looking at every possibility to find out what happened,” Watenpaugh said. Any students who broke school rules will be “appropriately disciplined.”

The call for help came at 12:33 p.m. from a Rohnert Park police officer assigned to the campus. Large groups of students were reportedly moving around campus. Administrators rang the lunch bells early and students were ushered back to classes.

The superintendent quicklybrought in a private investigator, hired by the school district, to help school officials in their investigation. Among those interviewed Friday were Bueler and the club’s faculty adviser, Brian Connich.

Connich, the club adviser, said he saw none of Friday’s disturbances and the club meeting itself was marked by a willingness of all sides to listen to one another.

“I was proud of the kids on both sides of the fence,” said Connich, a math teacher who on Friday hosted his second meeting as adviser. “The dialogue was reasonable.”

After Connich left the classroom to go to the office, Bueler and fellow Conservative Club member Clay Curreri said a campus supervisor arrived and told Bueler to stay inside until she got clearance that it was safe to escort him to his next class.

The Conservative Club was founded in the fall by a group of students who said they wanted to counter the liberal instruction of some teachers. Bueler garnered national attention after alleging he was physically threatened by students last month for his views on illegal immigration while teachers twice failed to come to his aid. Those allegations remain under investigation.

The school’s instructors deny their teaching is liberally biased and they vigorously argue that the staff wouldn’t hesitate to protect Bueler.

Bueler has been escorted to and from classes by a faculty member since students returned from winter break to ensure his safety from students who may be angered by his printed views on illegal immigration.

Carter, the principal, and Sweeney, the sergeant, each said that students may have been more on edge Friday because of word that a television news team was expected to come to campus that day to do a segment on the Conservative Club.

As a result of the unrest, the school postponed a Friday night talent show that was planned by the senior class.

[the_devils_advocate_666]

This Bueler kid sure is stirring the hornets' nest

[Bikers4Bush]

Thank god someone is.

[Ophiucus]

The superintendent quicklybrought in a private investigator, hired by the school district, to help school officials in their investigation.

Since when did schools start using private investigators?

WTF! Was the High Inquisitor not available?

[blanknoone]

The kid is being escorted around by a teacher, and there is a club advisor...someone heard and saw whatever the commotion was. Or were 15 officers called in without a commotion?

It is clear that certain people want this club silenced, and my feeling is that the school administration is seeking a way to make that happen in an 'acceptable' way. Even without liberal bias, it is bad publicity, and they just want to be ignored (while they indocrtinate our children).

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

Rome declined because it failed to protect itself against illegal invaders.

The history should be taught as a life and death issue.

[Bikers4Bush]

Large school systems often have a phone number for one at the ready.

With all the different crap going on in schools these days they need them.

[sam_paine]

He should be put in jail for having unpopular thoughts. One of the teachers there said he was a "neoconservative wing-nut," thus, I'm thinking he should probably be put to death, perhaps by tying his hands and throwing him off a building.....or uh, maybe just cut his tongue out while his mother watches. I've seen that done somewhere and it seemed to be 'effective'......now where was that???? Hmmmm.

[FourPeas]

The school’s instructors deny their teaching is liberally biased and they vigorously argue that the staff wouldn’t hesitate to protect Bueler.

This says volumes.

[the_devils_advocate_666]

You forgot to mention putting him feet first into an industrial plastic shredder!

[Ophiucus]

That's nuts. I could launch into a big 'back in my day' speech but....

[cwb]

"Since when did schools start using private investigators?"

Probably around the same time they started employing full-time lawyers and crisis counselors:) Our schools are becoming the front-line in the battle for the minds of America's youth. It's only going to get worse.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Hate crime.

[coloradan]

The school’s instructors deny their teaching is liberally biased and they vigorously argue that the staff wouldn’t hesitate to protect Bueler.

Not only does it say volumes, it's an outright lie. On the infamous day in the past that caused all the stir, multiple staff members flat-out refused to help this guy when he was being mobbed.

[Drango]

If Al Gore was president we wouldn't have any of this.

[ladylib]

The superintendent isn't happy with the principal:

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20040118-114337-8959r.htm

Enrollment is up in the club.

[sasafras]

Again its ok to hate as long as you aren't white. People who believe in family values, the rule of law and that all people (regardless of color) should be treated equally are not allowed to express their opinion. Boy scouts bad, intact family bad, colorblindness bad, homos good, perversity good - I think I get the picture - I must be living in bizarro world.

[cyborg]

homeschooling is looking better all the time

[DAPFE8900]

No kidding..Why dont a bunch of us freepers go and act like the NATION Of ASSLAM and protect these kids. I would volunteer?

[BlueNgold]

Rancho Cotate has an interesting demographic. Years ago it was known as a stoner haven with lots of rural rocker types. In the ensuing years more and more of the Country Club set have moved into the developments adjacent to (no lie here) Country Club Drive. The school is also quite close to Sonoma State University, and liberal mecca on par with UCB. (As a kid my Mom actually moved to avoid sending me to this particular HS ... kinda funny in retrospect.)

[Oatka]

“Nothing similar to this has occurred in the four years that I’ve been principal,” Principal Mitchell Carter said of Friday’s unrest.

That's because the club didn't exist for much of that time. The libs had the podium all to themselves and now they can't stand the competition.