By Joan Garvin
 Photo by Monique Schoenfeld, Town Crier |
Nothing out of the ordinary happened at Mountain View High School last week in spite of warnings and rumors that sent the quiet campus into a state of alert.
On March 8, there was a fight at the bus stop in front of the school between a MV student and a student from another school.
On March 9, a bomb threat was phoned into the school.
“School staff and city police evacuated the school, inspected the campus and allowed classes to continue within 20 minutes. A letter explaining the threat and the response went home with students on Friday,” according to publicity coordinator Laurel Brock.
Monday morning at 7:10 a.m., Hugh Riddell, assistant principal for discipline and attendance, found a student waiting for him. The student reported rumors of retaliation for the fight, possibly a drive-by shooting, scheduled March 14-16.
The rumors were taken very seriously. Principal Pat Hyland and her staff notified the Mountain View Police Department.
“Mountain View police have since interviewed all of the students involved in this incident (the fight ), and have determined that there is no credible information to substantiate any of the rumors,” reported J. Bennett, public information officer, for the Mountain View Police Department, March 13.
Police agreed to maintain an “increased presence” on campus during the critical week.
Schools Resource Officer Bill Crawford said “the department realigned the patrol structure to have four or five visible police cars driving around.”
When a third specific threat surfaced, Hyland sent a second letter updating parents, “Students told us that flyers were placed in their lockers indicating that people should ‘Beware the Ides of March (March 15).’”
Hyland recruited another segment of the community, “We are asking parents who are available to be on campus as additional eyes and ears.”
The parents responded. Approximately 70 on Wednesday and more than 50 on Thursday walked the halls and provided a calming presence on campus.
Don Iller echoed the sentiments of many of the parents: “I am glad the administration notified us at the first sign of problems. The parents are fighting back.”
“Being here helps them (parents) feel good about what is going on,” said Assistant Principal Matt Neeley. “Some are honestly scared.”
“I am confident that school is doing all the right things,” said Attorney Dan Hoppe, father of a senior boy and a familiar visitor to the school during his 31 years with the MVPD and current Key Club advisor.
“I honored my (sophomore) daughter’s request to stay at home,” said Karen Sweet, “but wanted to show my concern for all the kids.”
“When we need help, the community turns out with fine support,” said Superintendent Rich Fischer as he walked the campus. “It was encouraging to see the parental … police support.”
Attendance dropped daily. Enrollment is 1,350 students; absence for a normal day runs 75 to 104 students. March 14, there were more than 295 students absent; March 15, 526 students, almost 40 percent of the student body, according to Attendance Clerk Janet Goon.
The students who were at school expressed mixed emotions.
“At first, I was really scared, because I thought MVHS was really safe,” said freshman Laura Martin.
Danielle Robledo said, “I didn’t want the people who cause trouble to win.”
Peter Sorin articulated the final unsubstantiated rumor: the threats of violence were merely a cover for a group who went to the beach.
By Friday, Riddell reported “We have normal attendance.”
Crawford summarized police activity, “The week was totally routine. No sightings.”
“I feel a sense of loss. It is not as if we didn’t know something was coming at some time. But you try to preserve that sense of childhood - Camelot - for the students,” Hyland said.
