wow. this is quite messed up...

[raefformvp]

Some say student is too dangerous for schools

By EVA-MARIE AYALA

STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER

ARLINGTON -- Allen Christopher Roman says he's a cross-country athlete working hard to maintain As and Bs to go to college. But some are concerned that his guilty plea to attempted capital murder makes him too dangerous to attend Sam Houston High School.

It was arranged last week for the 18-year-old senior to do his schoolwork from home, his attorney said.

"I don't know why they've got to take my education from me," Roman said. "I just want my diploma. I don't want to be a dropout and get a GED."

In February, Roman and a friend robbed a convenience store in the 1700 block of East Abram Street and one of them shot a 50-year-old store clerk, Assistant District Attorney Ashley Johnson said. Johnson said evidence suggests that Roman did not do the shooting.

Roman pleaded guilty to an attempted capital murder charge Nov. 11 and is awaiting sentencing by a jury in a trial scheduled to start Jan. 23. He could face five to 99 years and a fine of up to $10,000 for the first-degree felony, but is eligible for probation.

His friend, Eric Salas, 18, went to trial this month and is serving a seven-year sentence on an aggravated robbery charge.

Roman is free on $85,000 bail and returned to Sam Houston in August after spending most of the spring semester at an alternative school.

But recently, a parent e-mailed school district officials concerned about Roman attending school. After contacting the Star-Telegram last week, the parent could not be reached to comment as of Tuesday.

Superintendent Mac Bernd said he wanted to expel Roman, but state law prevented him from doing so.

According to the Texas Education Code, students can be expelled only if their crime is on school property or at a school-sponsored or school-related activity.

"The district and the administrators think anyone convicted of a violent crime should be expelled from school, but our hands are tied by the law," district spokeswoman Veronica Sopher said. "We want the law changed."

Sopher said Bernd is beginning to talk to elected officials about the law.

But Roman's attorney, Kathy Lowthorp, said changing the law would hurt those who have the best chance of turning their lives around. Students forced off-campus to finish school in a correctional facility would only turn to more crime, she said.

"It doesn't make any sense to point a kid toward crime," she said.

Staying in school "is the best way to arm a kid against crime with an education."
Lowthorp said Roman has gone through drug rehabilitation, taken a part-time job and dedicated himself to going to college.

"The kid has been perfect this year," she said.

"There's a lot of kids that mess up and then straighten out. ... He's not a threat to anyone."

Sam Houston Principal Beverley McReynolds declined to comment on specifics of the case but said that Roman had no conflicts while on campus and that the school was not hurt by his enrollment.

[Drbio]

Assign the kid a mentor and let him go to school. He is a dumbass for being a part of the crime, but if he admits fully to everything and shows a desire to stay straight then assign him a mentor who will shadow him and let him learn.

I understand the parents concern though.

[raefformvp]

I don't mind him having to do his work at home, but I don't believe he has any right to be in the classroom. He has pled guilty to a violent crime. To me that takes away any "right" to a free education. Yes, we all make mistakes, but there are consequences for the mistakes. I don't have kids yet, but if and when I do, I don't want to have to worry about them sitting next to someone who has admitted being guilty of attempted murder. To me we are infringing upon the rights and saftey of all the kids in the classroom who don't commit violent crimes. And as a teacher, I don't want to have to worry about making this kid "blow up" again. I've had my share of kids come through my classes wearing ankle bracelets issued either by the juvenille detention center or by the police department. When I go to the counselor to find out why these kids have to wear the bracelets, most of the time the response is, "We don't know. That information is confidential." What? So if this kid has raped someone or beat someone to a bloody pulp, I can't know that so that I can watch for that behavior? It would be nice to protect the rights of the innocent in my classroom.

Okay, I'm off my soapbox for now.

[Smiles]

Who would pay for this mentor?

I don't care about his future as much as I care about his record. I wouldn't want him at school w/my child. It's not worth the gamble that he is sincere and reformed after his crime. I hope he makes better choices, but not at the expense of other people's safety and comfort.

"'I don't know why they've got to take my education from me,' Roman said." How ironic that the criminal now laments what he may lose as a consequence of his crime. How easily he forgets what he's taken from another.

[Drbio]

Send the kid to an alternative classroom. I should have said that in my first post. Example: We have a dedicated facility off of the main cmapuses for troubled students. It is very disciplined and the kids get no second chances. That environment is enough to scare some of them out of their stupidity. Those who straighten up usually are successful down the line. I've worked with some of these kids and they are often worth the extra effort. Those who insist on being asses had their chance. Too bad.

smiles- every school district has someone who can be a mentor/counselor/etc. There would be no additional cost.


One last point....I think he has to own up 100% and testify to everything he did and explain the roles of the others. I also think he needs to be sentenced to a fair judgement by a judge and he must comply completely to that judgement. It sounds to me like this kid was stupid, understands that he has to face the consequences but wants to step up and own to his role. If that is the case, I have no problem giving him a little latitude to pursue his diploma, even if it is at an alternative classroom.

[Drbio]

BTW, I completely understand the sentiments of the parents and all of our posters here. I too would want some assurances. This is one of those tough cases (but only if this kid is sincere).

[capitalcity]

SHHS sucks ass. The AISD should trade Sam Houston to Grand Prairie for 3 elementary schools and a jr. high to be named later.

As far as this particular kid - Venture High was created for a reason.

[Drbio]

Originally Posted by capitalcity

SHHS sucks ass. The AISD should trade Sam Houston to Grand Prairie for 3 elementary schools and a jr. high to be named later.

As far as this particular kid - Venture High was created for a reason.

Is Venture High the alternative campus or did I miss something?

[raefformvp]

Actually our alternative school is Turning Point. Venture is for kids who don't feel like the classroom setting is the best place for them to succeed. At Venture they work at their own pace and many who go there graduate early. However, there are only so many spots available and a long waiting list to get accepted.

Doc, I agree that an alternative classroom is ideal for cases like this. What I don't understand is why it took the district so long to place him outside of the classroom. Apparently he was at Turning Point most of the Spring semester but was allowed to return to Sam's campus when school started in the Fall. I believe the only reason he isn't in the classroom right now is because a parent complained. From what it sounds like, Texas law allows the student to return to campus so long as the crime didn't happen on school grounds or at a school sponsored event.


And Capcity, you would probably be surprised to find that Sam isn't nearly as bad as it used to be. In fact from everything I have heard, they have far fewer discipline problems than Lamar. Some of that has to do with the redrawing of district lines when Juan Seguin was added. Because of that, some of the former Martin students were forced to move to Sam.

[capitalcity]

Student could have been denied enrollment
By EVA-MARIE AYALA
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER

ARLINGTON -- Arlington school officials could have denied enrollment to a Sam Houston High School student who pleaded guilty to attempted capital murder, according to the district's code of conduct.

Allen Christopher Roman, 18, was involved in the February shooting of a clerk when he and a friend robbed a convenience store. Roman's attorney has said Roman did not shoot the clerk.

District officials have said they wanted to expel Roman but could not because of a state law that limits expulsion to crimes committed on campus or at school-related events.

But the district's code of conduct states that a student can be assigned to an alternative school if the superintendent or his designee has a reasonable belief that the student has engaged in a felony offense or if "continued presence of the student in the regular classroom threatens the safety of other student(s) or teachers or will be detrimental to the educational process."

Roman was assigned to alternative school for the rest of the spring semester but returned to Sam Houston for his senior year this fall.

He is currently doing schoolwork from home.

District spokeswoman Veronica Sopher said she could not talk about the specifics of the case because of student privacy laws.

"In a situation where the district did have an opportunity to send a student to an alternative campus because of a crime committed but he was re-enrolled in a home campus, that would be an oversight on the district's part," Sopher said.

Assignments to alternative campuses vary by case, she said. When students leave, officials review attendance, conduct and other criteria to determine whether students can go back to their home campus.

"If a student has done all the work he was supposed to do, if he completes his assignments, then he is released back to his home school," Sopher said.

Superintendent Mac Bernd could not be reached to comment Thursday.

Roman's attorney, Kathy Lowthorp, said Roman did not attend a hearing but went to Sam Houston on the first day of school to find out whether he could attend. Later that day, officials told him he could.

"Maybe these things were looked at and they decided he was doing fine and it was acceptable for him to come back," she said. Lowthorp said Roman has been working on improving his life, has gone through drug rehabilitation and is not a threat to anyone.

Roman and Eric Salas were arrested in February in connection with the clerk's shooting. Salas, 18, was sentenced to seven years for aggravated robbery during a jury trial this month but his family intends to file an appeal.

Roman pleaded guilty Nov. 11 to his first-degree felony charge and is scheduled to have a sentencing trial by jury next week. Roman also faces two aggravated robbery charges for separate incidents that he is pleading not guilty to, Lowthorp said. He is out on $85,000 bail. Lowthorp said Roman is eligible for probation but could face up to 99 years in prison for the attempted capital murder charge.

Some students at Sam Houston said Thursday that they were concerned that a student facing such charges would be allowed on the campus.

"That's kind of messed up to let someone come here who almost killed someone," senior Valicia Cosby, 18, said. "They worry so much about the little things, like lockouts for tardies, but don't focus on the big things."

But freshman Sara Neal, 14, said it did not bother her much because students have other things to worry about, like fights and incidents that happen on campus.

Sophomore Ray Morris, 16, said, "They should have warned us about it -- not tell us his name but just let us know so we are aware," he said.

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/13669930.htm

[raefformvp]

But freshman Sara Neal, 14, said it did not bother her much because students have other things to worry about, like fights and incidents that happen on campus.

Fights and "incidents" happen almost daily at every school (at least at the ones around here). It's just the nature of teens today unfortunately. Many of them think fighting is cool. I hear about a fight at least 2 or 3 times a week here at Lamar. One time I was pushed while trying to break two girls up in the cafeteria. I think I would rather break up the guys! =)