Students Sign Peace Treaty in Wake of School Brawl

Students at Grant High School in the San Fernando Valley put their commitment to racial harmony in writing Thursday, formally signing a peace treaty before an audience of classmates, administrators and politicians.

On hand to encourage them were Rep. Howard Berman (D-Mission Hills) and Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante. But for all the pomp surrounding the event, which came after a brawl between Armenian and Latino students last October, Principal Joe Walker reminded them that the responsibility to uphold the treaty is theirs.

“It’s not about me, it’s not about the politicians,” Walker said. “It’s not about anyone but the students of Grant High School.”

Students said they were glad to see the positive attention being paid to the signing in the assembly hall of the Valley Glen campus. Many said the scope of the Oct. 21 melee was exaggerated by the media, which described the number of participants as 200 or more.

“The media put it out to be a fight that cannot be repaired, a school that cannot be repaired, and a bunch of students that don’t know the difference between right and wrong,” said Andy Jassick, one of several peer mediators trained in the brawl’s aftermath.

“Personally, I disagree,” he added, drawing cheers.

One representative from each third-period class at the 3,400-student school was selected to attend the ceremony, and each will return today with a copy of the pledge for their classmates to sign.

Bustamante talked about the value of diversity, pointing out similarities in the Latino and Armenian immigrant experience. He also praised students’ peacemaking efforts.

“Maybe the people who want to be divisive won’t like it,” he said. “But what you’re saying is, ‘This is not going to happen anymore, because we’re not going to let it.’ ”

Then, under the hot glare of TV camera lights, class presidents and representatives from several student organizations filed onstage and signed their names.

The pledge reads in part: “We agree to talk out our differences and if necessary resolve our dispute through the peer mediation program rather than resorting to violence.”

Students said tensions have cooled considerably since fall. But some said they doubted that the treaty would be remembered if ethnic conflict reignited.

“I think it always will be segregated. I don’t think any treaty or any speech is going to change that,” said Kristen Patlian, 17. “I just think there’s always going to be [fights]. People always have to stand up for their pride, their ego, whatever. I pray that [the treaty] works, but I don’t think it will.”