Local school district tackles ways to prevent unruly students at sporting events

DAYTON — A local school district held a special school board meeting Tuesday to discuss a policy that could impact how many students go to sporting events.

School leaders across the district have some issues with the district’s current policy for students going to games.

Students can go to athletic events for free as long as they are in good standing with their school.

But some argue, some students are starting fights and causing trouble.

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Eddie Davis is the principal at Meadowdale Career Technology Center.

He said he has noticed more disruptive behavior at recent games.

“On Oct the 6th, Dunbar vs Trotwood, there were at least five fights, five fights where we had students that got pepper sprayed, rubber bullets were shot at them, and two arrests. This is serious,” Davis told the board.

Catrina Bailey is the principal at Pual Laurence Dunbar High School.

“This is year four where we had a Trotwood game where our (school resource officer) gets hit upside the head with a pop can,” Bailey said.

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The two of them along with other district principals and staff introduced plans to try to tackle this.

It involved offering free student passes for 10 percent of high and middle school students at home games in their building this winter.

Schools would decide how to distribute them.

This would also apply to district-sponsored events at Welcome Stadium in the fall and spring.

“We’re not, as administrators and principals, are not suggesting that things don’t happen in the stands at basketball,” Dr. David Lawerene said. “We’re not suggesting that but I think that you are saying that if this is a fire, if we let everybody in, we’re just adding gasoline to it.”

The principals at the meeting said this isn’t about turning away students but rather having students at the games who have good intentions.

After some back and forth the board did not approve the plans.

They encouraged each middle and high school to come up with their own individual plans for student admission that catered to their building.

“I think the overarching concern is .. a bigger issue than just what happens at an after-school event. It’s really digging into the heart of how do we improve as a city,” Chrisondra Goodwine, DPS Board of Education President said.

District basketball games happen this Friday.

The board said if schools submit their plans this week members will try to approve them by the end of the week.

The district will have a Special Policy Committee Meeting on Nov. 30.

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