Last Day

May 1, 2011, 12:00PM PST

A KABC News Special Report with John Stacy reporting from the news desk.

John Stacy: In an extraordinary series of events, State and County Police raided the New Ridgemont High campus at about 10am this morning after a brief staging operation that took place several blocks from the school gates. Witnesses from the neighborhood reported seeing police cars and several armored transports entering Ridgemont early this morning by way of Reseda Boulevard, the only local road that can support such heavy vehicles.

Cut to a clip with a Ridgemont resident, standing on the front porch of her house.

Resident: I was in the kitchen making coffee, when my husband told me the cops were flooding the neighborhood. I came out and saw a whole line of vehicles just over there. [Points out towards the street] Police cars, vans, and some big trucks — SWAT, I think — plus a bunch of press. They waited for about ten minutes and then headed towards the school.

Video of the police convoy entering the NRH campus.

John Stacy: [Voiceover] Anonymous tips alleging widespread drug and alcohol consumption as well as cigarette-smoking were some of the reasons given for the raid.

Cut to an interview with a State Police lieutenant on the scene.

Lieutenant: We’ve been receiving these sorts of tips for several months now, and we take any reports involving child endangerment or abuse very seriously.

Reporter: This seems like a rather heavy-handed operation. Can you explain why SWAT is present?

Lieutenant: You have to remember that the City of Ridgemont has returned to 1980s level policing, which means there’s been very little by way of local law enforcement with respect to juveniles. Unlike all the other schools in LA, there’s no police substation on New Ridgemont High’s campus and no security camera footage that we might have reviewed before drawing up our plans. Scores of state and county ordinances have not been enforced in Ridgemont for almost a year. So we had no way of knowing what the situation was on the ground.

Video of William Friedman in handcuffs being walked out of the building by several officers who are holding him firmly by both arms. He looks dazed.

John Stacy: [Voiceover] Principal William Friedman was arrested on multiple counts of providing alcohol to minors, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and child endangerment. Authorities also said that allegations that Friedman and several teachers engaged in inappropriate intimate relations with one or more students are being investigated and may lead to further criminal charges.

Video montage of scenes from the school during the raid.

John Stacy: [Voiceover] Mayhem ensued as state and county authorities swept through school grounds, detaining and arresting teachers and members of staff. Students reacted with shock and grief and in a few cases, there were violent confrontations. Caution: What you are about to see is disturbing.

Armored County Police converge on the shop room, where Kevin Reilly, Mary Savini, and Jon Baronare standing guard, brandishing heavy pipe wrenches.

Policeman 1: Stand down! Lay down your weapons and get on the floor! Now!!!

Kevin: [Hefting the pipe wrench] Why don’t you come and take it? I’ll crack open your fucking skull.

Jon: [Tossing his wrench from hand to hand] Yeah, tough guy. Let’s see what you’ve got.

Policeman 2: [Tilts his head to the walkie-talkie at his shoulder] We have armed students here. We’ll need SWAT, ASAP.

Marty: Aw, whatsamatter? The two of you with your guns and body armor can’t take on a few teenagers with wrenches. Fucking pussies!

Video from another angle during Friedman’s arrest. Joanne Genduso, Valerie Saunders, and Fran Rosenbergare struggling to restrain Chloe Gold who is lunging at the officers escorting Friedman out of the building.

Chloe: [Snarling with almost feral rage] You sick FUCKERS!!! I’ll rip your GODDAMNED throats out!!!!! Let GO of me!!!! Will!!!!! WILLLLLLL!!!!!!

The girls finally subdue Chloe who collapses to the ground sobbing. Valerie gathers her up in her arms and rocks her.

Valerie: Okay, sweetie…okay…. [Strokes her head, as tears stream down her own face]

Joanne: [Grimly, her hands balled into fists] Goddammit…

Fran: [Looking around frantically] You guys got this? I’ve gotta’ find Sean…Kevin… 

Valerie: We’ve got this, Fran. Go!

Fran: [Sprinting off] Please, God, let them be OK…

Cameras follow law enforcement as they burst into Bobbie Novak’s classroom. Students scream in terror as several officers shove her roughly against the wall, turn her around and handcuff her hands behind her back, then drag her past the laboratory tables and out of the room. She is silent, her face blank and body limp, as the kids huddle together and watch her being removed.

Cut to the cafeteria, where Anna Harry, Marissa Preston, Billy Johnson, and Jaime Cohen have been hanging out during a free period. Several members of SWAT enter the room, bearing shields and wielding batons. One is holding a launcher for shooting pepper balls. 

SWAT 1: [Shouting] Clear this room! Assemble outside of the building!

SWAT 2: [Grabs one of the lunch ladies by the arm and pushes her towards the doors] Outside! Now!

Marissa: [Glaring at them] What are you doing?!

SWAT 3: Clearing the building! Everyone is ordered to the courtyard where you’ll receive further instructions!

Billy: [Stands up] We’re not going anywhere until you tell us what’s going on. This is our school. You can’t just come in here and order people around. We have rights!

SWAT 1and 2 grab Billy and force him to the ground. One of them puts his knee in Billy’s back, and the other kneels down beside him.

SWAT 1: [Snarling in Billy’s face] I’ve got your rights here, kid. Do as I tell you or I’ll handcuff you and drag you out. You think you’re special? You think you’re different from any other fucking teenager in this state?

Anna: [Hysterical] Billlllyyyyy!

Jaime: [With a calm betraying fury] Billy, do what what he says. [To SWAT 1&2] You Gestapo shitheads will regret this. Parents are gonna’ be suing you until you’re living in cardboard boxes under bridges.

SWAT 3: Yeah, right, little Miss Rich Bitch. Shut up and get outside, before I take you down too.

Cut to the Student Lounge, where Mitch Bennett, Ben Gibbs, Myron Freelander, Charlie Smith, and Randy Dixon are listening to music on a boom box, when two County deputies enter.

Deputy 1: [Into a shoulder mic] Looks like we might have a few gang bangers in here. Requesting backup.

Mitch: Gang bangers? What are you talking about?!

Deputy 2: Back away, son. You don’t want to be too close if we have to use force.

Mitch: Force?! Are you serious?! You racist bastards!

Deputy 1: [Raises his baton menacingly at Mitch who shrinks back] Watch your mouth kid, or I’ll shut it for you!

Randy: Mitchie! Stand down! [Looks hard at the two cops] There’s no need for violence. We know the drill.

The four black students lie down on the floor, face down, their hands behind their backs. Mitch kneels beside them, weeping.

Cut back to John Stacy at the news desk.

John Stacy: Assemblywoman Shirley Putsis, one of New Ridgemont High’s fiercest critics, issued a statement from the State Capitol. There have been accusations that she and her coalition, The Citizens for Character in California, played a significant role in today’s raid.

Cut to video of Shirley Putsis on the Capitol steps. She is at a podium, flanked by other members of the Citizens for Character in California, and is speaking to the gathered press.

Shirley Putsis: What we’ve long suspected has now been confirmed! New Ridgemont High, operating under the guise of an “experimental charter school,” was in fact a place where students as young as fourteen were smoking, drinking alcohol, and using illegal drugs! Where teachers were indoctrinating our kids with a steady stream of anti-American propaganda! And where the Principal and several others [shudders dramatically] may have been having sex with students!! I am grateful to State and County authorities for shutting down this criminal operation, and I will be introducing legislation this afternoon to insure that California’s children, whether in Oakland or Berkeley or anywhere else, will never again be subjected to this sort of predation on the part of those whom we entrust with their education!! 

Reporter 1: Mrs. Putsis! There are rumors that you and your group were the source of the complaints. Do you have any comment?

Reporter 2: What evidence is there for the allegations of sexual misconduct against Principal Friedman and other teachers, Assemblywoman?

Reporter 3: Will you be taking questions, Assemblywoman?

Cut back to John Stacy in the studio.

John Stacy: Assemblywoman Putsis declined to take questions after making her statement. Our reporters caught up with Governor Jerry Brown, who entered the State Capitol just a few moments afterwards.

Cut to Jerry Brown who is talking with reporters outside of the State Senate chambers.

Reporter 1: Do you have any response to the statement just made by Assemblywoman Putsis?

Governor Brown: I don’t see how any of us can be talking about “protecting our children,” when we’re treating them collectively like a criminal gang. The United States has the highest rates of youth incarceration in the world. Teen suicides are through the roof. The whole point of New Ridgemont High was to address this catastrophe before it’s too late.

Reporter 2: But what about the allegations that students were smoking and drinking on campus?

Governor Brown: Anyone can allege anything. I’d like to see the evidence. And it’s worth remembering that there isn’t a single person over forty in this country who didn’t get up to similar shenanigans when they were teenagers. No one lost their minds over it. And let’s be clear: we lost our minds today. Since when do you send in SWAT for kids smoking cigarettes behind the building? 

Reporter 3: But surely the allegations of sexual abuse of minors give you pause.

Governor Brown: Again, anyone can allege anything. I wouldn’t trust a word that comes out of Shirley Putsis’ mouth. She lies as easily as most people breathe. And she’s had it in for Will Friedman and for New Ridgemont High since the place opened. But I never thought that even she would sink as low as this.

Reporter 2: What is going to happen with the Berkeley and Oakland expansions?

Governor Brown: I’m going to confer with the Majority Leader in the State Senate and members of the Caucus on that subject right now. But given that the Attorney General has opted to do what he’s done in New Ridgemont High, I can’t be sure of anything going forward. The Assembly has coalesced around Putsis in opposition to the project. We’ll just have to see.

Reporter 1: Are you regretting your decision to back New Ridgemont High given what’s happened?

Governor Brown: Absolutely not. I continue to have complete confidence in Will Friedman, whom I am convinced is a decent and honorable man trying to serve his community and the State of California. Unlike Shirley Putsis and her rotten coalition, I’m not ready to throw an entire generation of California kids on the trash heap. Thank you. [Turns around abruptly and heads into the Senate chambers.]

Cut back to John Stacy at the News Desk.

John Stacy: We attempted to contact Congresswoman Susan Best of the 28th Congressional District, who has been one of New Ridgemont High’s biggest champions, but she is in Washington and could not be reached for comment on the situation, and her office has yet to release a statement. Mayor Harris Clark of the City of Ridgemont made the following remarks just a few minutes ago.

Cut to Mayor Clark, who is standing in front of the Mayor’s Mansion, surrounded by reporters.

Mayor Clark: I’m just going to make a brief statement at this time. I won’t be taking any questions. There’ll be a full press conference this evening, once I’ve had time to fully assess the situation.

This morning, a joint task force of State and County police raided the campus of New Ridgemont High. They detained or arrested teachers and members of staff, dragged Principal Friedman out in handcuffs, and terrorized and in some cases assaulted students in a shocking display of force. You’ve all seen the footage by now, so you all know what happened.

I want to make absolutely clear that Ridgemont PD was not involved in this operation. Indeed, neither my office nor that of Ridgemont’s DA, Lana Kurtzman, were notified prior to the event. I only found out the operation was underway when my office began receiving frantic calls from Ridgemont residents. 

This is nothing short of an outright invasion of our city by county and state authorities. I spoke with Governor Brown not too long ago, and he told me that the Attorney General acted contrary to his wishes. As you know, however, Attorneys General have substantial independence from state and national political leadership and enjoy tremendous latitude, which in this case seems to have been grotesquely abused.

New Ridgemont High is closed indefinitely. We will have to figure out what to do with the students, who have yet to take their final exams and receive their final grades and some of whom were about to graduate.

Not for one second do I believe the allegations against Will Friedman or any of the other teachers or staff at New Ridgemont High, a school that has been an overwhelming success by any measure. Partisan opposition to our efforts to change course with respect to how we treat Los Angeles and California youth has been building for some time now, led by some of the most extreme elements in Californian — and American — politics. This reeks of dirty tricks.

I would be shirking my duties as Mayor, however, if I didn’t get the full picture before making a more comprehensive statement and pursuing a course of action. I am going to spend the rest of the day investigating this situation and speak to you again this evening. But mark my words: if this is what it looks like, the City of Ridgemont will aggressively resist this assault on our sovereignty, in both the legislature and in the courts. This is not California, and this is not America. Thank you.

Cut back to John Stacy at the news desk.

John Stacy: We will continue to update you on this story, as we obtain more information. We return you now to our regular programming, Days of Our Lives, which is in progress.

___

May 1, 2011, 1:00 PM PST

Tom Rosenis in his car, parked down the street from the entrance to New Ridgemont High. The last few police vehicles are pulling out, and what reporters and bystanders were still milling around have left. Two State policemen close the front gates and lock them shut with a heavy, steel chain. Then, they stretch yellow police tape across it, after which they depart on foot.

Tom: Hello, Kat? Yeah, it’s Tom. Get me Cross, will you?