Posted on 11/08/2002 8:06:37 AM PST by Jaded
Too much for teen to bare:
Parents upset district sent teen streaker son to alternative school
By JO ANN ZU„IGA
Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle
La Porte High School honors student Victor Lombrana may give new meaning to a student body with school spirit.
La Porte High School student Victor Lombrana, shown with stepfather Joe Canas and mother Julia Maldonado, was sent to an alternative school after he streaked during a school football game. The family is taking the case to court.
Overcome with enthusiasm when the football team played rival Deer Park last month, he ran naked across the football field during half time.
"It was a spur-of-the-moment thing," Lombrana said Thursday evening. "The whole day we had been having pep rallies and tailgate parties and we got carried away with the spirit."
For the prank -- in front of about 10,000 students, families and school officials -- Lombrana and another male student were sent to an alternative school for the rest of the school year. Lombrana's parents on Thursday asked a judge to soften the punishment, which they say is harsh.
They want the 17-year-old junior to continue his honors and advanced-placement studies, which are not offered in the alternative school.
Although sympathetic to the family, state District Judge Joseph Halbach denied their request Thursday to temporarily keep their son at the high school until his case goes to court. "I was a teenaged boy once myself and I have a teenage son and I can say, 'There but for the grace of God go I,' " Halbach said.
The case was assigned to state District Judge Tony Lindsay, who set a hearing for Nov. 21.
Julia Maldonado said her son was "devastated" after La Porte interim Superintendent Barney Iles issued the punishment.
"He's a good kid, an honors student and has never been in any trouble before," she said Thursday.
The family also said they were denied due process and never allowed to meet with the school principal since Iles, who attended the game on Oct. 18 and saw the incident, took over the process.
"The superintendent was witness, lawyer, judge and executioner," Maldonado said.
But Iles, contacted later Thursday, said due process was followed. Deer Park police detained the boys and gave them citations for disorderly conduct while the school temporarily suspended them for three days to investigate, he said.
"The boys ran from the visitors' stand and onto the 50-yard line while the Deer Park drill team and band were in the middle of their half-time performance," Iles said.
"They had no clothes on and they ran out almost to the girls' drill team and then turned south to the goal post. One was tackled by police and they were both arrested," he said.
A disciplinary committee recommended the boys be sent to alternative school. Iles said he approved it and met with the parents.
"The Texas Education Code states the parents are to 'meet with an appropriate administrator' and I am an appropriate administrator," Iles said.
Although Lombrana attended the DeWalt alternative school for about a week, he has not been in school for about three weeks, his mother said.
School procedure requires that he officially withdraw from the high school, but the family wanted to fight the case in court, Maldonado said.
"He was already getting college credit for some of his honors and advanced placement, which are not offered at the alternative school. Now even his chances of college are being hurt," she said.
No.
Then(when he streaked) even his chances for college were being hurt.
Well, look at the bright side. There's bound to be "alternative schools" where that sort of behavior is normal...
-David Niven when a streaker ran across the stage at the Academy Awards.
Sounds like he got carried away with the "spirits"...
if you know what I mean...
I’m not sure you are entitled to “due process” under these circumstances.
I don’t know what the “alternative school” is in La Porte. Our district had something called the Alternate Study Center that they would send you to. You took your books and showed up every day just like you regularly would at school. Your teachers would send assignments and tests. It was just like regular classes except the idea was to segregate you from the rest of the student population.
I always liked the place because it was less than two blocks from my house, started an hour earlier (but finished an hour and a half earlier) than regular classes, and probably averaged between three and six students at any time. It was nice and quiet.
I could show up there and do all my assignments and still have time to draw and screw around before they let us out. I could never keep up with the work like that in the regular classes, primarily due to all the socializing and roll taking and class changing and material reviewing that went on.
I suppose their version must be different.
I agree. It's utterly ludicrous that the punishment for a prank and the punishment for assault with a deadly weapon should be the same. As Sylvester would say, "Ree-dickerus."
Apparently she expects a one free flash rule. Must be a Clinton voter. I can understand teenagers throwing aside self-control, but when they realize that stupid actions have consequences, they eventually (hopefully) learn to act like adults. When the 'adults' here demand a free pass, all this kid will learn is that self-control is not a character trait which needs to be acquired. Then he'll just be another Clinton clone.
If so, this kid should not be sent there, they should find some other form of punishment.
Not to say we didn't do some pretty damfool things as kids, or at least my contemporaries did. I, of course, was a little angel and don't believe a word my brother and sisters say. Or my parole officer either.
Part of that learning process is that the consequences are proportional to the action. If your premise holds true, the poor boy will think vandalism will get him the chair.
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