LEESBURG — Police are looking into racial tensions at Leesburg High School, saying that last week’s homecoming activities were marred by incidents including a plan by students to dress as Ku Klux Klan members.
Two students were suspended from school after a teacher caught the students with robes, Max Parker, deputy chief of police, told city commissioners Monday.
The KKK wardrobe idea was for a homecoming week “predator and prey day” during which students dress up as, for instance, a cat and a mouse. Mayor Bob Lovell criticized the event Tuesday, calling it “a very dumb idea . . .”
“We don’t need to have kids acting as predators,” Lovell said. “We’ve got too many predators. We don’t need victims, either.”
He added: “I think the administration holds some responsibility.”
Principal Nancy Velez did not return a phone call Tuesday seeking comment.
Parker said police began investigating after “we heard rumors that there were a lot of racial tensions and a lot of racial problems on campus.”
Leesburg police Maj. Steve Rockefeller said a fight broke out Oct. 2 after the homecoming “powder-puff games” in which girls play flag football and boys dress up as cheerleaders.
“It’s probable” the fight was sparked by racial slurs, Rockefeller said. Two students were arrested.
It was unclear late Tuesday whether anyone was seriously injured. None of the students had guns or knives, but police are investigating whether a student was carrying a pipe, Rockefeller said.
Before homecoming week, another student brought a knife to school and was suspended. It was not immediately clear what the student planned to do with the knife.
Parker said there were a few problems at Friday night’s homecoming football game between Leesburg and Wildwood, but none were racially motivated.
Rockefeller sought to put the problems in perspective, saying, “The rumors are way more out of control than the students.”
But police will continue to meet with school officials and parents this week about the situation, he said.
