Once they had the Jena 6... Now we have the Palmdale 4.

Well I am sure that all of you have heard of the Jena six. It is a horrible story about racism, hate and violence. Tonight I was educated on something similiar happening in our valley. Below is a story taken from google about a high school in my area.


Protest rally to be held in Knight High arrests
BY KAREN MAESHIRO, Staff Writer
Article Last Updated: 09/28/2007 01:05:00 AM PDT


PALMDALE - A rally to protest the arrest of three Knight High School students and a parent who scuffled with a security guard over spilled birthday cake will be held today at the east Palmdale campus.

Protest organizers said a security guard twisted the arm of 16-year-old Pleajhai Mervin behind her back and slammed her against a lunch table, breaking her wrist. The fight was reportedly caught on videotape by a student.

"I'm hoping a lot of people will show up so we can stand up for our rights," said Mervin's mother, Latrisha Majors. "This is not fair. We can't allow security guards to abuse our children."

Majors, her daughter, the student who taped the incident and his sister were arrested on suspicion of battery Sept. 18.

The students were suspended from school, and Majors spent the night in jail before being released by deputies the next morning, Majors said.

Organizers said they expect more than 100 parents and students to be at the protest scheduled for 7 a.m. at the school.

Antelope Valley Union High School District officials said they could not comment specifically on the incident, which is being investigated.

"Our goal (today) is to make sure kids can get into school and into class and make it a normal school day," Assistant Superintendent Tim Azevedo said in reference to the protest.
Organizer Najee Ali, director of Project Islamic Hope, referred to the four arrested as the Palmdale Four, reminiscent of the Jena Six beating case in Louisiana where the arrest of six African-American students sparked a debate about racism.

Ali said race is involved in the Palmdale case. He said other black parents have complained about mistreatment and a double standard at Knight High and other Antelope Valley high schools.

"This situation of black students being beaten and mistreated by racist high school staff members is reminiscent of the Old South," Ali said. "We are seeing a continued national pattern of black students being abused, whether it's the Jena Six or whether it's the Palmdale Four."

karen.maeshiro@dailynews.com

(661) 267-5744

Man I think this is so crazy. Our valley use to be semi-safe, but this sucks. Just last week my cousin's house was completley ransaked. WHoever stole the wall safe, all of my cousin's guns and pee'd on their bed. They completley ruined everything including my cousin's hw for the eigth grade. They had seminal fluid on her hw. WTF? Why are people so screwed up. Ugh I really hate living here.