Students Suspended For Impromptu Memorial

Sat., April 22, 2000

From Staff Reports

Eighteen Republic High School students were suspended Thursday morning when they walked out of classes to observe the anniversary of the Columbine High School massacre.

Superintendent Duane Reidenbach said 19 students went to the school parking lot to pray for the victims of the April 1999 tragedy in Littleton, Colo., in which two students gunned down 11 classmates and a teacher before killing themselves.

The problem, Reidenbach said, was that the students left school without permission and refused to return. He said Principal Nancy Giddings offered to overlook the violation of school rules and allow the memorial service to resume during lunch, but only one student agreed to return to class.

“They weren’t told they couldn’t pray,” Reidenbach said. “We have kids who want to do prayer groups here, and they sometimes come in early and find a spot. We don’t have a problem with that.”

He said school officials wrestled with how much to say or do on the anniversary of the nation’s deadliest school shooting, but would have considered scheduling a memorial service if students had requested one.

“There are all kinds of things that could have been done,” Reidenbach said.

He said the students were suspended for the remainder of the day, and were allowed to return Friday.

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