2 Students in War Protest Won’t Have to Transfer

Two high school seniors in La Verne, transferred to another school for their part in a peaceful anti-war protest, will be allowed to remain at their old school after all, administrators decided Friday.

Bonita Unified School District Supt. Duane Dishno ruled that the punishment for Denise Fitzgerald and Jaimie Bauer was excessive. The two 17-year-olds were among the organizers of an all-day rally Jan. 15 in front of Bonita High School in La Verne.

Dishno, whose district serves La Verne and San Dimas, said he reversed the transfer after speaking with the affected families as well as students, teachers and community members. At the same time, he added, Principal Robert Lewis had acted properly the day of the protest to defuse “a dangerous situation that posed a safety threat to students.”

Said School Board President Robert Watanabe: “I give our superintendent credit. If you think you made a mistake, don’t be afraid to say we gave harder punishment than was needed and change the decision.”

Bauer said the reversal didn’t surprise her. The rally “wasn’t that big of a deal, and they made a big deal out of it. (The district) didn’t want the heat.

“Now I get to graduate with my friends.”

Bauer had given the prearranged signal to begin the protest by announcing over the public-address system, without permission, “Now is the time to save the world.” She was later detained briefly by police for interfering with the arrest of a non-student who allegedly refused to leave the school grounds.

Fitzgerald had led anti-war chants and songs with a megaphone, and had refused to return to class when Lewis issued an 11 a.m. ultimatum. Most of the 250 demonstrators obeyed. Lewis handed out suspensions to about 50 students who did not.

After their five-day suspensions began, Bauer and Fitzgerald were ordered transferred to nearby San Dimas High School by an administrative panel that met Wednesday. Neither student has a history of behavior problems. Fitzgerald had been recently named the school nominee for a local home-economics award.

School transfers “are ordinarily reserved for kids who are on drugs or violent,” said Barbara Adams, a district teacher for 25 years who wrote a letter of protest to the superintendent.

“I hope some good comes of this: that more people realize you can speak your mind,” Fitzgerald said Friday. “Work inside the rules, but this is America, and you’re allowed to take advantage of the freedom that you have.”