Going to high school is supposed to be an exciting adventure for all teenagers, as was mine at Wichita East High in the fall of 1994. However, there are always rules to high school; don’t park in the senior lot, don’t sit at the wrong lunch table, and in my experience, avoid the first floor if at all possible. The first floor at East High School was where the rough, tough kids hung out. It just went without saying, you didn’t go there unless you belonged or had business there. That is where most of the student fights took place and most of us just wanted to go about our day without having to acknowledge that there was violence in our school. We were just trying to enjoy high school.
One morning my freshman year in 1994 I made my way to my locker on the second floor to put up my belongings before my first period cheer practice. As I came to the top of the stairs there was a lot of commotion, and I was directed by school staff to go around through the other hall. As I passed, I noticed there were brown bathroom towels all over the floor covering what looked like blood. Being a teenager, and in my own little world, I didn’t think much of it and continued to my locker, and then to practice in the far west gymnasium.
When class assembled, we received an announcement over the intercom for all students to stay in their classrooms that there had been an incident. Shortly after the announcement, other classes began to fill the gym. Rumors circulated, but the truth was that had been a fight between a few female students and one had been stabbed. It was assumed that assailant was still on school property somewhere so precautions were being taken to keep other students safe from harm’s way, and from seeing the gore of the crime on the second floor of the school. Many classes were kept in the gym, some In the auditorium, and others locked In their classrooms. Students were not released until a parent or guardian picked them up.
For years, even after I graduated and spoke of where I went to school, people said that’s a horrible school, wasn’t someone stabbed there. But honestly, as frightening as that incident was, I felt pretty safe the rest of my high school years.
Hello I just wanted to speak on the fact that I know your story. I did not go to your school but it was my girlfriend that had stabbed the other girl. Knowing the situation I just wanted you know know it was definitely rough there at that school. My girlfriend kept getting jumped and she was just trying to protect herself, from some of the violence your were talking about. I came across your story because my daughter now goes to that school and I tell bout this story but I can not find it anywhere your story is the only one. I just wanted her to know that even though she stays out of trouble how easily trouble can be found. Thank you
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