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Posted: Thursday, 22 January 2009 2:41PM
CPS May Use Drastic Actions In Response To Shootings
Bernie Tafoya Reporting
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CHICAGO (WBBM) -- The head of sports for the Chicago public school system says he may have to resort to drastic actions should there be any more violence in or around CPS sporting events like the two shootings outside schools the past couple of weeks.
Schools sports administration director Calvin Davis says that, twice during the last football season, he had games played without any fans in the stands because of the potential for trouble.
Davis says, in one case, the football game was homecoming for Foreman High School.
Davis says he'll consider that option more and more if there appears to be rising tensions between schools scheduled to clash on the field or on the court.
The head of CPS sports says he's in favor of principals severely curtailing at games, if not forbidding, attendance by fans of opposing schools. Davis says, that way, the principal would know who is in his stands--namely--his own students. He says there's nothing wrong with that "ultimate" home court advantage.
Following a shooting a couple of weeks ago, Davis says he asked principals to review their schools' athletics security plans, update them, if need be, and submit them to him. As of today, the deadline, Davis says he's received 75% of the plans.
As to the question of fairness of limiting attendance by opposing schools' fans, Davis says "Times have changed so much" in recent years that, "as a safety measure...you want to make sure you know who's in attendance at these games".
Davis says he met with commanders of every police district a couple of weeks ago following the shooting outside Dunbar High School. He says police plan a greater presence, especially outside games that principals and the school system deem to be "high profile" games.
Davis admits, though, the North Lawndale-ACT Charter High Schools game on Tuesday was *not* considered to have been a high profile game, yet there was a shooting afterwards.
He points out that on any given day there may be 50-60 boys and girls basketball games played at all levels and that, most times, everything is peaceful.
Besides the two recent shootings after games, a game was called a few minutes before the clock ran down, because a fight had broken out in the stands. The game was at Bogan High School on the Southwest Side, in a game between Bogan and Simeon.
In that case, Calvin Davis says security was properly handled by calling the game and de-escalating tensions.
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