A sixth grade student at Albert Leonard Middle School, on her way to school last week, was placed in a headlock and a gun put to her head by three 8th grade boys from Isaac E. Young Middle School. One of the boys made a threatening remark before releasing the girl. The other students on the bus were reportedly terrified.
Parents who contacted Talk of the Sound say they received no notification from school officials or the police about the incident, learning about the incident from their children after they got home from school later that day.
The students from the two schools were together on a Westchester County Bee-Line bus on Thursday morning.
The New Rochelle Board of Education has an agreement with Bee-Line to transport students to and from the district’s two middle schools. The particular bus where the incident took place picks up students from both schools in the East End of New Rochelle.
The three students with the gun exited the bus at Isaac Young. The Albert Leonard students remained on the bus, waiting until they arrived at Albert Leonard to notify Administrative Dean William Mackin. Mackin’s counterpart at Isaac Young, Daniel Gonzalez, was notified and soon after a police investigation was initiated at Isaac Young by Detective Ray Andolina, a Youth Officer in the Police Services Division PACT Unit.
The three 8th graders were suspended for five days pending a Superintendent’s hearing which may result in removing the three students from their school for the rest of the year. They would receive “homebound instruction” and likely be eligible to return in 9th grade at New Rochelle High School. The trio was not on the bus the following day, according to parents, although they could return to school later this week and would be able to ride the bus pending the timing and outcome of the Superintendent’s hearing.
The family of the sixth grader has not pressed charges. A charge in this case would typically be “menacing” although holding the girl in a headlock and bringing a weapon to a school could bring additional charges under New York State law.
The New Rochelle Board of Education has a “zero tolerance” policy for weapons possession although that policy has been routinely ignored by building principals over the years. The gun was later determined to be a pistol-style BB gun. Under the right circumstances, a BB gun can cause serious injury or death.
Children’s safety is a priority
Thank you for alerting the public about the issues in our schools. However, it is prudent that you follow-up and let the public know that the district responded immediately to the situation. My son rides that bus to ALMS and had been reluctanct to board but I found out 1st hand that there is now a security guard on the bus with the kids each morning and afternoon. There have been no other incidents reported.
As far as the disciplinary issues, the school district is supporting a zero-tolerance policy. More than likely these children will have to go through the Youth Court hearings. Due to the age of the children, not all information is public.
immediately? not so
Shariz,
I am going to figure you are new to this site so you don’t realize that we routinely publish information that the powers that be want to keep out of public view so that the information is “not public” has no bearing on our ability to report out these sorts of stories. As evidence, how do you think we reported out this story in the first place? The district did not issue a statement, did they? No arrests were made, were they?
Put simply, it is what we do here at Talk of the Sound — get out the stories that those in power do not want known. I will leave it to long-time readers to back me up on this point.
I am going to also figure that you are not aware that the district routinely attempts to sweep these sorts of incidents under the rug and has been doing so for many years.
Not sure where you are getting your information but the district also routinely tells parents what they want to hear and then does whatever they want.
You seem to be under the impression that the district is acting “immediately” because they choose to do so. There is no history of that; in fact, quite the opposite.
In this particular case, as is often the case, it is our reporting of the story that is forcing the district to address the concerns of the ALMS and NOT sweep this under the wrong.
We will keep you and other parents apprised as the story develops.
Correct. For those in power in New Rochelle…
who would rather their citizens were like mushrooms…you look up the analogy…Mr. Cox is quite correct.
“Put simply, it is what we do here at Talk of the Sound — get out the stories that those in power do not want known. I will leave it to long-time readers to back me up on this point.”
Simply re-read his and TOTS’s coverage of the aftermath of SANDY in New Rochelle if you have any doubts.
I am still waiting for Idoni II to present Mr. Cox with the key to the city.
Key to the City
Very Funny. The City had two keys: one went to Cappelli and the other to Ratner’s Forest City.
Security guard only parts of the way
parents have told me that the first bus monitor gets off at Isaac and another one gets back on up by city hall . Unmonitored for part of the way at least . Parents are still waiting for a statement from the school/s about what happened . Don’t it seem odd that there would be a statement about an incident that did’nt actually happen and no statement about a incident that really did happen ? Nobody said nothing . Thank heavens for talk of the sound or you would never even know it happened . Did you hear it from your son ? ALMS had to call Isaac to tell hem there was a gun on the bus . They re following through because they are under a microscope this time and it doesn’t matter why as long as they do the right thing . This is why parents must be involved and not leave things up to the individual school . There has been no other incident because these kids were not on the bus during suspension . What about when they return . Will your son be safe then ?
Suspension? For Terrorizing a Child With a Weapon? It’s Criminal
What if YOUR child was held in a headlock while another put a gun to their head and threatened them? Would YOU want these kids riding the bus with them after a paultry 5 day suspension? What went through the mind of the child as a gun was leveled at their temple? Was it ” oh, I’m sure it’s only a pellet gun, it’s not like it will kill me, probable just a flesh wound” or was it more like “Oh My God, he’s gonna kill me “. This was a criminal act perpetrated by a youth with severe issues. No child wakes up one morning and decides to terrorize another child with a gun with the help of an accomplice subduing the victim. What will stop him from going crazy on the bus after his “slap on the wrist” and seeking retribution from those he perceives to have ratted him out. These wanna be gangstas need to be REMOVED FROM THE BUS PERMANENTLY for the safety of the dozens of law biding children whose only mistake that day was hopping on a bus to go to school. Terrorizing, menacing, civli rights violations all being tolerated at the expense of the innocent children seeking an education. Watch this case unfold and see what kind of lesson they learn from the adults calling the shots.