Students support principal with 'hand-holding event'

• High school principal required fighting boys to hold hands
• Arizona school district says punishment violates district policy
• Principal had been praised for innovative programs at Westwood High School

MESA, Ariz. -- About 200 Mesa, Ariz., students participated in a "hand-holding event" Monday at Westwood High School in support of the school's principal and a punishment he administered last week.

Principal Tim Richard required two boys who had been fighting — one in ninth grade and one in 10th grade — to hold hands in front of their fellow students. An image of the students, whose names are being withheld by the school district, was posted on Facebook by another student, which generated a discussion about whether the punishment was acceptable. Several voiced favorable opinions.

"It was a peaceful event," said district spokeswoman Helen Hollands.

Mesa Public Schools officials said the punishment violated district policy. More typical penalties for fighting include suspension or detention.

"I would say this will not be happening again," Hollands said.

She said she did not know whether Richard, who was hired at the start of the school year, will be reprimanded for the "out of the box" discipline, but she said officials have met with the principal to let him know that forced hand holding violates district policy.

On Monday, Mesa Public Schools governing board President Steven Peterson, who has a son at Westwood, was asked whether any students were protesting the hand-holding incident.

"No, quite the contrary," he said. Peterson said he is aware of some students who are unhappy with media coverage of what happened at their school.

Some "are protesting the national media coverage of the incident," he said. "They don't agree with some of the things that have been said."

A statement from the school district said:

"The district does not condone the choice of in-school discipline given these students, regardless of their acceptance or willingness to participate. District leadership will address this matter with the school principal, and review district protocol regarding student discipline with all administrators."

Before the incident came to light, Richard was praised at governing-board meeting last week by Mesa schools superintendent Michael Cowan.

Richard has started several innovative programs at Westwood — such as time away from class if students are not failing any of their classes — to motivate students to be on time for class and to work harder on their grades.

Richard said he would like to tell his side of the story relating to the hand-holding punishment, but has been told by district officials not to do so.