Fights at Bear Creek High Cause Worry

STOCKTON — Concerns about racial violence are high at Bear Creek High School, where one student was arrested last week and two others have been suspended after attacks on white students, Stockton police and Lodi Unified officials said Friday.

The arrest came after a student was beat up near the school gym on Wednesday. In a separate incident the same day, another teen was attacked in a boys’ bathroom.

In both cases, the victims — ages 15 and 16 — were white and their alleged assailants were Black, police and school officials said.

{snip}

Debra Kahoalii said a teacher had to escort her 18-year-old son off campus Friday after he felt threatened by a group of Black students.

“They are waiting for white students as they go through the passing periods (between classes) and getting them then, or they try to gang up on them at lunch time,” she said.

Bear Creek Principal Bill Toledo said the term “White Wednesday” has been used to describe incidents in which groups of Black students supposedly ambush white students and videotape the attacks.

“But we have no credible evidence that that has happened,” said Toledo, who was inundated with calls from worried parents on Thursday and Friday.

{snip}