Tragedy fails to upset plans for Peace Week

March 12, 2001

SANTEE -- They marched through the town against hate. They held forums on bullying and how to get along. They dedicated a week of school to peace, focusing on misunderstanding and conflict resolution.

Last Monday, all that hard work of the past several years seemed to evaporate.

Everything Santee high school students had wanted to avoid happened. In an instant, Santana High School became an entry in the book of tragedy.

For those who had worked so hard to promote peace and tolerance, it was devastating.

At first, some felt guilty. Could we have done something more to have helped the boy who killed two, they asked.

But now, some students have grabbed the baton of leadership and are marching forward.

"We are a family," said senior Michele Bean, a member of Santana High School's Peace Council. "It's not a good situation, but we're going to make the best of it. We're going to get our school back. We're not going to let anybody take it from us. We're going to unite."

The shooting left memories of terror and fright at both of Santee's high schools. Santana and West Hills High may harbor an athletic rivalry, but they share the spirit of the city's middle-class community, said West Hills Principal James Peabody.

"It was a blow, big time, because we have worked really hard on the human relations aspect," he said.

Santee's involvement with race and human relations dates back several years, according to West Hills Associated Student Body adviser Larry Pear, to the time the city became a focal point following the savage beating of a black Marine by several white men at a party.

"Obviously we realized we were not doing enough, and we needed to do more," Pear said.

Students from the two schools united to promote tolerance and cultural diversity. They marched in the streets and held forums on campus. They tackled such topics as bullying in school and conflict mediation.

Since then, 80 students from each school have attended Camp Minitown, a weekend workshop on diversity sponsored by the National Conference for Community and Justice.

"All communities suffer from certain social ills. We're not immune to it out here," said Jenee Littrell, a Santee resident who coordinated the two Minitowns. "Community building takes a long time and we've been working for a long time here to build our community."

Wednesday, as Santana students walked back onto campus, hope started to return.

By Thursday, with the horror of the fatal shooting subsiding, the crush of media lessening and normalcy returning, some students were focusing on the future.

During an afternoon meeting of the Peace Council that day, Santana English teacher Nancy Magee asked the students whether the school's second annual Peace Week should be postponed. With less than two weeks to go and funerals and memorial services to attend, it might be hard to pull it off, some figured.

"The biggest message they had was we want something to do that is positive. We want to show how strong we are. We're sticking with our plan," said Magee, the council's adviser. "I was very proud of the kids."

For junior Myeshia Price the decision to go ahead with Peace Week activities was the right one.

The day after the shooting Myeshia said she felt just fine. Then she went "topsy-turvy." It took a lot of talking with counselors to feel comfortable at school again, she said.

The 16-year-old provided her own therapy by making lapel pins out of safety pins and colored beads and handing them out to about 300 people at school. The black bead symbolizes mourning, the white rebirth and rebuilding and the purple and yellow beads are the school colors.

"At first I had guilt and then I thought we could use this, after all the shock and sadness went away, in a positive way," Myeshia said.

It is those kinds of thoughts that drive some of the students to act.

Michele Bean, 17, has pushed for city and school leaders to support teens during her 31/2 years in high school. She was instrumental in working with city leaders to finance the Santee Teen Center.

Since her freshman year she has volunteered on the Peace Council.

"I would have to say we are making a difference on our campus, and it may not be seen (by) some but it is felt in the way that people treat one another," she said. "It's really hard to describe. It's not a physical change, it's more of an emotional change of how people treat each other."

"There's always been a need, and now there is even more of a need to try and break down injustices and try to promote a safer and better climate on our campus and in our community."

For those on the council, the shooting was particularly painful.

Randy Gordon, who died on campus after a bullet punctured his lung, was a member.

And Raymond Serrato, who is recovering from a chest wound, is considered one of the council's strongest and most active members.

Still, teacher Magee notes, the students persevere.

"The foundation of the Peace Council, it's all laid in rock. The values that we're encouraging -- respect, tolerance, kindness -- they are all there. It's a shame that one kid can bring this kind of national recognition when hundreds of kids have worked really hard to do all kinds of great things academically and athletically," Magee said.

So, from March 19 through 23, the campus will go ahead with its plans to again explore peace.

"We had a theme of get connected and embrace diversity," said Magee. "Now it is going to be: Santana, unified and strong."