By LESTER CHANG
Some residents are suggesting that Homestead High School confine students to campus during lunch because of complaints that students harass people and allegedly sell drugs at nearby Loehmann's Plaza.
But students protested against any such action, saying the offenses are committed only by a small number of students. They added that closing campus at lunch would hurt the student body of 1,700 and disrupt the school program.
Residents and students offered their conflicting viewpoints at a June 4 meeting of the Fremont Union High School Board of Trustees.
The board took no action, but board President Franklin G. Pelkey threw the matter back into the laps of all concerned.
Pelkey said finding a solution should be their "top priority" and urged them to find one no later than November.
"I will not tolerate this kind of thing happening in the community," he said. "We are just too fine a community."
District officials fear relationships between area residents and the school could worsen if steps aren't taken.
At the same time, some of the 25 businesses at the plaza could continue to run the risk of losing money. Because of the students, some customers have told merchants they won't shop at their stores during lunch hour. If customers returned, it was often later in the day, some merchants said.
The small group of teenagers, which some say includes students from other schools, has attacked cars in the plaza parking lot, sold drugs behind buildings and burned a fence at a nearby home, audience members told the board.
Resident Amanda Williams said people avoid the area because of the presence of teenagers and the "things that go on there."
She said teenagers attacked one student and pummeled him.
On one occasion, students wouldn't let her drive her car out of her driveway, she said.
At other times, residents have had to put up with vulgar language by students.
She also said her dog required medical care after students pelted it with rocks.
Another woman, a real estate agent, said some people buying homes in the area say "they don't want anything to do with Homestead High School." People are using the word "gang" when they think of the high school, she said.
Among the action taken in recent years to solve the problem:
*Increasing administrative supervision of students at the plaza;
* Holding neighborhood meetings;
* Working with the plaza owner, Reef Management Company, based in Alamo, and merchants at the plaza to supply additional benches and garbage cans;
* Publishing stories in the student newspaper, The Epitaph, to increase student awareness about the problem;
* Holding legislative and executive council sessions at the school to identify solutions.
Principal David Payne said the scampus has constantly looked for solutions, an effort which Pelkey praised. Payne said closing the school is a drastic step, but the school might consider that as an option as students, teachers and merchants work toward solutions.
Thus far, the effort has resulted in fewer complaints from merchants, he said.
In spite of the complaints, the Sunnyvale police reported the area around the plaza has one of the lowest crime rates of any area in Sunnyvale. Statistics, however, weren't immediately available.
The low crime rate wasn't much consolation to Gary Shoenfeld, assistant manager at Longs Drug Store, one of the two largest stores at the plaza. The other is a Safeway store.
Shoenfeld said the problems have been a major headache for him during the two and a half years he has been at the store.
"I always get nervous when the lunch hour rolls around," he said at his store. "They come in groups. I am personally convinced there is some theft going on. But we can't be sure because we have $1 million in stock and it is hard to tell. But we believe thefts occur."
Other merchants have walked the fence on whether to close the campus or leave it open during lunch. Some merchants don't mind the presence of teenagers because they make purchases.
Sunnyvale police officer Sean Hart said police remain vigilant in trying to control problems at the plaza, including using more patrols during lunch and an undercover drug operation.
This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, June 19, 1996.
©1996 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.