MHS students tell school board why they planned a walk out

Several students’ voices were heard Wednesday when they took the floor during the call to the public at the bi-weekly meeting of the Maricopa Unified School District Governing Board.

Angelique Robledo, Ishmael Naqvi and Dedtrick Burno, all 15 and all freshmen at Maricopa High School, were the first to speak out. They said they came to clarify how many students had marched at about 11 a.m. Tuesday to the front of the school to send a message to administration, and anyone else willing to listen, that things at MHS aren’t right.

“We were marching through the school and not stopping before we got where we wanted,” said Naqvi, adding that their destination was to get as close to the front gate as they could get without actually walking off campus (see “District official downplays demonstration as peaceful”).

They said between 60 and 75 students marched with them.

When Maricopa Police showed up, Burno said, students began returning to class.

The head count differs significantly from the district’s estimate, which was placed at no more than about 25 to 30 students. The reason they were marching differed, as well.

While Robledo, Navqi and Burno agree that the administration’s handling of a recent weapons violation incident on campus involving a toy gun was a part of it, they said their effort was actually meant to draw attention to what they say is unfair treatment they are receiving at the hands of an administrator.

“She does not listen at all,” Robledo said.

The administrator, they said, singles out students for discipline, takes the word of “snitches” over the students being accused, and puts students who do snitch at risk by revealing them as the accusors. And that, they said, causes fights.

“When anybody finds out you’re a snitch, it isn’t safe for us on campus,” Navqui said.

Since the walkout, the trio has collected 464 signatures, representing about 40 percent of their classmates, seeking that the administrator be transferred to another school. The district reports enrollment at MHS at 1,149.

The students did not name the administrator when addressing the board, but did so when they briefly stepped outside with a reporter while the new PTO president, her daughter and a few others addressed the board during the remaining time left in the call to the public.

Because the administrator has not yet had a chance to address the specific allegations, inmaricopa.com is not yet identifying her by name, but will do so once she’s had the opportunity to respond.

The students, however, did name her on the petition.

“I don’t know if that is right or not, but I would certainly like to take a look at that petition,” MUSD Governing Board Member Tim White said.

The students also clarified that the one student Maricopa Police had arrested on charges of disorderly conduct was the same student the district had identified as having left campus during the walkout, although they said he had not participated in the protest.

Meanwhile, all three walkout organizers said they fear consequences for speaking up are awaiting them when they return to school. They also said that if it helps things change for them and everyone else, it will have been worth it.

“This was very hard for us,” Robledo said.

The organizers said they planned to meet with MHS Principal Jeff Kleck on Thursday to discuss their concerns.

Before the call to the public, an administrator from MHS presented a report on how discipline is handled on that campus. Asking students to come forward with information that could prevent fights, which she said now occur on a “daily basis,” is an intregal part of its procedure.

“Most fights start verbally,” Valerie Witchurch said. “Most fights start two or three days prior to a fight, or weeks prior, where nobody is reporting it.”

Witchurch said things tend to escalate to hitting, punching, hair pulling, profanity and more.

“Then they get their friends involved,” she said.

Board Member Tracy Davis said its not uncommon for her to hear from the parents of those who perceive themselves to be the victims.

The parents say, “‘My kid got jumped. So now my kid doesn’t want to go back to school.’ I don’t want to lose any kids,” Davis said. “I don’t want any kid to feel unsafe on any of our campuses.”

Davis noted that the district has an anonymous tip form on its home page where those with concerns can voice them.

Witchurch added that she’d like to see a Silent Witness-type program created to offer rewards for those who speak up, to make them more willing to talk.

“Sometimes we are limited on our statements from students,” she said, “because they don’t want the retaliation of coming forward and saying, ‘I’m going to do what’s right, this is what I saw.'”

Jeff Kleck, principal of MHS, has not yet returned a phone call seeking comment.