Parents, School Officials Talk About Violence at Grant High

In an auditorium packed with up to 500 parents, Grant High School officials pledged Monday to combat violence and teach tolerance to defuse racial animosities that exploded here last week between Armenian and Latino students.

Principal Joe Walker apologized to parents, telling them he would beef up security with a “zero tolerance” policy for student violence. He also promised to increase the number of school counselors with authority to discipline students and to equip school staff members with walkie-talkies to immediately report fights.

“If you do not put a fire extinguisher on a fire it will burn your house down,” Walker said, drawing loud applause from parents.

School officials said the tough measures were needed because of an ugly lunchtime brawl between Latino and Armenian students. The fight, which began as a dispute among a few students, quickly escalated into a melee with 200 students shoving, screaming and throwing soda bottles and trash cans.

Los Angeles City Councilman Mike Feuer, Los Angeles Human Relations Director Joe Hicks, Los Angeles Board of Education member Caprice Young and other school and police officials answered questions from parents who said they were encouraged by their presence.

“I’m worried about the safety of my kid,” said North Hollywood resident Salvador Cruz, whose son is a junior at Grant.

Marina Cazakov of Valley Glen said she talks to her son every day and said more parents needed to check in with their kids.

Feuer added that adult guidance was critical.

“It’s important kids see adults ready to work across racial, class and ethnic lines,” Feuer said. “Somehow we’ve allowed the most divisive voices instead of the voices that would bring us together.”

School officials said they have tried to ease tensions between Armenian and Latino students with conflict-resolution programs, cultural-awareness classes, group mediation, peer counseling and teacher training.

In 1994, two Armenian boys were stabbed during a fight just outside of the school. Later the same day, a 16-year-old Latino boy was wounded in the calf during a drive-by shooting.

And perhaps the task ahead of school officials was best summed up by a group of Armenian students who gathered outside the auditorium during the meeting.

“I think it’s going to continue,” Alisa Galadjian said.