Residents Concerned About Boswell School

A recent attack that landed two Buena High School students in the hospital has focused attention on quiet Dorothy Boswell School, which serves troubled teens as well as special education and disabled students.

During a 90-minute meeting Thursday night, nearly 30 parents and members of a midtown Neighborhood Watch group met with school officials at the school on Loma Vista Road to express concerns about Boswell’s mix of students and to receive reassurances about campus and neighborhood safety. It was also a chance for school officials to explain how the Boswell school operates.

Far from being allowed to run in the hallways, students are closely watched, said Jim Compton, the county schools’ director of secondary education.

“When the kids come in the door, they have to remain here. . . . They have their breaks in here, their lunch in here. They’re constantly supervised,” he said.

Last month, a 15-year-old Buena High School student was stabbed and a 17-year-old student was beaten near Loma Vista and Day roads while taking an afternoon “power walk” with their gym class. Authorities said they suspect continuation students from the Gateway satellite program at Boswell were responsible for the attack. But no arrests have been made.

As surprised as they were that such a violent attack occurred in their midtown neighborhood, many residents and parents were equally amazed to learn that the Boswell campus included continuation students, those previously expelled or referred from other district high schools for minor criminal activity, drug use or truancy.

“The only way we found out was through the paper,” one resident said. “I’m a little disappointed we didn’t know, because we have problem kids here.”

Built in 1982, Boswell was originally designed for providing therapy for disabled and special education students, but once enrollment dipped and left some classroom space available, the superintendent’s office moved in the Gateway program nine years ago for students who needed an alternative to regular school curricula. A voluntary program for teen parents was added to the school last summer.

Despite the addition of Gateway students, district officials said the recent attack was the only such violent incident on or near Boswell’s campus since 1988.

“At all of these sites we haven’t had any major discipline problems and this was the first one and it was off campus,” said Kathy Greave, principal of the Gateway schools.

Gateway administrators urged residents to telephone the school immediately if they notice the Gateway students causing any disturbances in the neighborhood.

Since the March 25 attack, Lauren Velasco, whose 6-year-old son receives physical therapy at the school, has requested school officials to take greater measures to keep disabled and special education children safe from the continuation students.

“My ultimate wish is that they would move [the therapy unit] to a different place where there are acceptable types of students, but if not, I would hope they implement stronger security to check kids for drugs and weapons” at Boswell.