[BHS etree] ADMIN: Incident on 2/3/05

[bhs at idiom.com]

contact: Denise Brown [mailto:Denise_Brown at berkeley.k12.ca.us]

BHS Families, Teachers and Staff,

      This note is to inform you about an incident that happened on
2/3/05.  A student in Madalyn Theodore's class was found to be in
possession of a gun.  When the student went into her backpack to get
something, the gun was revealed.  Other students told Ms. Theodore who
immediately got a Safety Officer.  The student who was in possession of
the gun was extremely upset because she had forgotten that she had the gun
in her backpack.  She says, and her father confirmed with me, that he had
given her the gun for safekeeping.  She also thought she had emptied the
chamber of the gun, the bullets were found loose in her backpack, but
there was one bullet lodged in the chamber.  Safety Officer Craig White
immediately apprehended the weapon, took it away safely and disarmed it.
     Needless to say this was quite a shock and scare to us all.  I must
commend the quick work of the students who saw the gun, Madalyn Theodore
and the Safety Officers, especially Craig White, Billy Keys and James
Tompkins.  They quickly got the situation under control and quickly
detained the student so she was away from the BHS population.  The student
was arrested and further disciplinary action will be taken.
    What was so helpful in this this situation was that the students that
saw the gun immediately notified the teacher.  This way the teacher was
able to immediately get a Safety Officer to avoid anyone being hurt or
harmed.  The students in this case acted maturely and consciously by
telling the teacher right away.  I have called the students to let them
know how much I appreciated their quick action in this matter.

     I am thankful that this all ended safely.  Thank you all for the work
that you do in helping to keep this campus a safe and sane place.

													denise brown

"What We Do Is Of Great Consequence"
Luisah Teish, Yoruba Priestess

denise brown
Vice Principal of Discipline and Safety
Berkeley High School
1980 Allston Way
Berkeley, CA  94704
(510) 644-6192
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