Parents, students call for change after high school goes into lockdown 2nd day in a row
By Sophia Perricone and Drew Andre
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LAS VEGAS, Nevada (KVVU) — Parents and students are demanding action from Desert Oasis High School and the Clark County School District after students were put into a hard lockdown for the second day in a row.
“It’s blowing my mind that this keeps happening,” said Desert Oasis parent Laplac Brown.
On Wednesday, a reported weapon in class prompted a nearly three-hour lockdown. CCSD Police ultimately did not find any weapons on campus.
On Thursday morning, students were placed into lockdown for an ongoing fight, which resulted in the arrests of an adult and a juvenile. Nine other juveniles were cited. Multiple parents and an official told FOX5 the adult was a parent that was on campus to address a bullying issue at school.
Brown said he never expected his son to text him twice within 24-hours for two separate lockdowns.
“He said ‘it’s another lockdown again, can you come get me?’ Yesterday, he just let me know that there was another lockdown – he did not say ‘come and get me.’”
Desert Oasis senior Shane Young skipped school on Thursday as a result of Wednesday’s lockdown.
“I didn’t come to school today because of my fear of yesterday. Students yesterday were crying hysterically,” he explained.
Young said safety issues have been plaguing Desert Oasis since he first enrolled four years ago.
“Fights are occurring because they know they’ll get away with it. You can fight and you’ll get a slap on the wrist. Maybe you’ll get detention. Maybe you’ll get a three-day suspension. The truth of the matter is none of it matter and students know they’ll get away with it nine times out of ten,” he said.
Parents echoed his feelings in a parent meeting across the street from the school Thursday night.
“The kids that were brawling today will be here on Tuesday,” parent Cherish Morgan said. “That’s a problem.”
Young explained that teachers are not allowed to interfere with fighting students – a policy he wants to see change.
“If admins are the only ones that are allowed to intervene, or school police or Metro police officers, then it appears we need more of them on campus,” he said.
Brown is also in support of adding more support on campus.
“Maybe some metal detectors or something like that. Something has to be done. Maybe more aide in the classroom to help the teachers. Something has to be done, and something needs to be done now.”
About 25 parents showed up to the parents meeting Thursday night. This meeting was planned before the lockdowns to address safety on campus.
“If we want things to change, and if we want things to be safer we’re going to have to talk about. If we’re not going to talk about it, and make a stink of it with the people who need to make changes for our students then we need to be louder,” Morgan said.
Next Wednesday at 6 p.m. there will be a parent led meeting on campus, according to Morgan.
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