Saturday, May 13, 2000
Students charged with trespassing
2 juniors found in Berry Middle School
By Sheila McLaughlin
The Cincinnati Enquirer
LEBANON — Two juniors from the Warren County Career Center were charged with criminal trespassing Thursday, accused of entering Berry Middle School during class hours without permission.
Police said it was the first time they can remember filing criminal charges against someone for being inside a school building without authorization.
“We're all a lot more sensitive to these issues than we were in the past,” Police Chief Ken Burns said Friday. “A lot of this is all a result of school violence different communities experienced in the last couple of years.”
According to police, David Ridenour, 18, and a 17-year-old boy, who both reside in Lebanon, were seen walking in the hallways at the school on Oakwood Avenue at 12:40 p.m.
Police said the students were dismissed from school early that day, and told middle school officials they were looking for a teacher there.
“That turned out to be false, and that's what raised the suspicion level,” Principal Kathy DiBlasi said.
She said the district has clamped down in recent years on safety policies involving unauthorized people in the school. The students were first confronted by a teacher and questioned about their business there.
“If someone is in the building, we need to make sure they signed in and have a visitor's pass. We don't automatically call police,” Mrs. DiBlasi said.
“It's all about the safety of our students. We need to know who is in our school,” Mrs. DiBlasi said.
Peg Allen, Career Center spokeswoman, said at least one student was in school Friday. She said they would not face discipline there because the alleged incident did not occur on the Career Center campus.
If convicted of the misdemeanor charge, Mr. Ridenour faces up to 30 days in jail and a $250 fine. The 17-year-old would be sentenced at the discretion of a county juvenile judge.
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