Responding to teachers' fears about disruptive students and threats of violence, Baltimore school officials will close Frederick Douglass High School for two days to provide training on dealing with unruly youngsters.
The move marks the first time a city school will close so teachers can receive such training since Lombard Junior High closed for three days in 1975 after a spate of arsons and violent incidents.
The closing dates have yet to be determined.
"This is an extraordinary move -- no question about it -- but then these are extraordinary times, quite frankly," said Superintendent Walter G. Amprey, who approved the move this week.
"I think we owe it to the school to try to do something. I'm really not happy with how it's going over there."
Details of the plan, including who will provide the training, have not been worked out.
The two days of meetings also are to include parents, representatives of the school system's central administration, the teachers union, school police, community leaders, clergy and a few students.
Officials from the school system and the Baltimore Teachers Union agreed that the situation at Douglass has degenerated to the point that meetings after regular school hours would not provide enough time to come up with an adequate response.
"It's either lose two days, or lose the rest of the year because things are not going to improve on their own," said Linda Prudente, a union spokeswoman. "Students want to learn, but they can't with so many disruptions."
The decision to close the school comes after several gun-possession arrests -- three involving students -- on school property and heightened fears after a brawl last month at a Mondawmin Mall parking lot across the street, minutes after school was dismissed.
Dr. Amprey and Ms. Prudente stressed that a small fraction of the school's estimated 1,300 students have caused the disruptions, while most follow the rules and want to learn.
"Enough students are causing disruptions for other students that it's creating an atmosphere of almost anarchy," Ms. Prudente said. "The teachers feel like they have no authority over them.
"The teachers can't go on like this. They're scared, they're apprehensive."
About 40 of Douglass' estimated 65 teachers attended an emergency meeting at the school last week, and all agreed to formally request that the school be closed for two days to try to devise strategies on coping with disruptions.
