Portage Police Break Up Food Fight, Arrest Students
Some Parents Say School Overreacted
Updated: 7:15 am CDT June 4, 2009
PORTAGE, Wis. -- A food fight at Portage High School during lunch Tuesday ended with Portage police officers leading five students out of school in handcuffs.
TALKBACK: What Do You Think?Portage High School sophomore Dylan Mitchell said he wanted to end the school year in a big way by starting a food fight during lunch."I really don't feel bad about it at all," Mitchell said. "(It) kind of was my idea. I don't really regret anything.""We already had all the yogurts, (then the) teacher walks up and my friend is like, 'Man, we can't do this.' And I was like, 'We got to do this. We already got all the stuff opened up,'" Mitchell said.What happened next prompted school officials to call Portage police."So on the count of three, we stood up, whipped it, (and) everyone started screaming, running," said Mitchell.Within seconds, yogurt and taco salad were flying across the cafeteria."(I) threw my milk. I picked it up, spilt it all over me, threw it," Mitchell said.After about two minutes, Portage police arrived and made arrests.But some parents said they feel the school overreacted by calling police."The punishment does not fit the crime at all," said Wendy Mitchell, Dylan Mitchell's mother.Lee Ann Vesley, whose son, senior Ryan Hayes, also took part in the food fight said the school overreacted."The part that upsets me the most is that they got arrested and they have $172 tickets for disorderly conduct," said Vesley.Principal Karin Exo said she stands by her decision to call in police, adding that the scene was "chaotic" and her priority was to protect students from a so-called joke that could have turned violent. "I don't think we overreacted. Basically, we just wanted to quell a disturbance before it gets out of hand," said Assistant Police Chief Kevin O'Neill.The Portage Police Department said handcuffing is protocol in such an arrest.Dylan Mitchell admitted that someone could have gotten seriously hurt, but said since no one did, he has no regrets."We walked out of school in handcuffs and got a standing ovation from everyone in the school. It was pretty sweet," he said. "I think it was totally worth it."The parents said they'd like the fine dropped and instead have the boys serve community service work.The five students are serving in-school suspension. Some of that suspension will continue into the next school year.The one senior, Ryan Hayes, cannot attend graduation practice on Thursday but will participate in the graduation ceremony Friday.
TALKBACK: What Do You Think?Portage High School sophomore Dylan Mitchell said he wanted to end the school year in a big way by starting a food fight during lunch."I really don't feel bad about it at all," Mitchell said. "(It) kind of was my idea. I don't really regret anything.""We already had all the yogurts, (then the) teacher walks up and my friend is like, 'Man, we can't do this.' And I was like, 'We got to do this. We already got all the stuff opened up,'" Mitchell said.What happened next prompted school officials to call Portage police."So on the count of three, we stood up, whipped it, (and) everyone started screaming, running," said Mitchell.Within seconds, yogurt and taco salad were flying across the cafeteria."(I) threw my milk. I picked it up, spilt it all over me, threw it," Mitchell said.After about two minutes, Portage police arrived and made arrests.But some parents said they feel the school overreacted by calling police."The punishment does not fit the crime at all," said Wendy Mitchell, Dylan Mitchell's mother.Lee Ann Vesley, whose son, senior Ryan Hayes, also took part in the food fight said the school overreacted."The part that upsets me the most is that they got arrested and they have $172 tickets for disorderly conduct," said Vesley.Principal Karin Exo said she stands by her decision to call in police, adding that the scene was "chaotic" and her priority was to protect students from a so-called joke that could have turned violent. "I don't think we overreacted. Basically, we just wanted to quell a disturbance before it gets out of hand," said Assistant Police Chief Kevin O'Neill.The Portage Police Department said handcuffing is protocol in such an arrest.Dylan Mitchell admitted that someone could have gotten seriously hurt, but said since no one did, he has no regrets."We walked out of school in handcuffs and got a standing ovation from everyone in the school. It was pretty sweet," he said. "I think it was totally worth it."The parents said they'd like the fine dropped and instead have the boys serve community service work.The five students are serving in-school suspension. Some of that suspension will continue into the next school year.The one senior, Ryan Hayes, cannot attend graduation practice on Thursday but will participate in the graduation ceremony Friday. Copyright 2009 by Channel 3000. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
