MLive (Michigan)
written by Heidi Fenton
Tuesday May 22, 2012
UPDATED May 23, 2012: Kenowa Hills principal apologizes for suspending bike-riding students
WALKER, MI -- Kenowa Hills High School Principal Katie Pennington has a new set of wheels.
Hours after she suspended about 65 students for riding their bikes to school on the last day of their senior year, Kevin “Gravy” Canup from 105.3 HOT-FM arrived Tuesday night at a school board meeting with a new bicycle, donated by the Grand Rapids Bicycle Company.
More than 200 students and parents erupted in cheers.
“I understand her position as the principal she needs to be in charge of all of us,” said Stephanie Rasch, 18, who participated in the Tuesday morning bike ride and was later suspended for the day. “But it’s really not her worry how we get to school.”
The senior students took part in the morning ride, which began at the Walker Fitness and Ice Center and ended at the high school. The students had police escorts and enjoyed donuts provided by Walker Mayor Rob VerHeulen, who rode in a police cruiser leading the group.
Parents lined the 3-mile route, taking pictures and cheering for their sons and daughters.
Students arrived at school to find administrators with a different sentiment. They were gathered into an auditorium where Pennington spoke and shared her worries with their safety and not knowing about the ride.
“It was like two minutes of what she had to say and then she said, ‘just get out of here.’” Rasch said of the suspensions.
She and others missed a traditional “senior walk” — their last chance to pass through the school’s halls and say goodbye to teachers and underclassman.
More than 200 parents and students packed the Kenowa Hills administration building tonight for a planned board work session. The board room filled with an overflow crowd, leading administrators to move the group to a middle school auditorium nearby.
Pennington did not come forward publicly and was not seen in the crowd.
Students stood outside with signs that read “Ride or Die.” Several parents joined them with their own signs and cheers.
District Superintendent Gerald Hopkins offered his thoughts. The day was “a very difficult” one administrators would “learn from,” he said. But he backed Pennington’s decision — one he said was made out of concern for students’ safety during the ride.
“I support the principal in having the students go home today,” he said. “I think we’ve got a lot of great kids here at Kenowa … I wish I had been aware of (the ride) so I could have supported all of you.”
Pennington earlier said the bike ride created major traffic problems, delaying buses and teachers and was a safety issue. She said students had been warned about engaging in activities on prank day.
Senior class President Zac Totten offered a public apology to her at the meeting.
“I just feel bad that we blindsided her,” he said. “I just hope this can be kind of a tradition, something the seniors can do the next few years.”
A public comment session drew more than 10 students and parent speakers and got heated at times with parents calling Pennington out for the suspensions.
A parent, Tim Impellizzeri, spoke outside of leaving work to take pictures and watch his daughter ride Tuesday morning. He later received a text message with news of her suspension.
“I thought, ‘You’re kidding me. What did you do?” he said. “If they were late to school or had never gone to school, that’s one thing. It seemed pretty innocent.”
District administrators tonight said the suspended students would have a second chance at their “senior walk” May 30. They still will be allowed to walk at graduation.
Those who missed final exams Tuesday will be allowed to come back and take them at a later date.
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