Long Reach YouTube Videos Removed

Two videos showing students involved in questionable activities outside Long Reach High School have been removed following between an intruder and a student.

One video showed a boy spitting on one of the high school’s doors. Another video showed a dejected looking student with water dripping from his chin. Teens in the video say someone poured water on him; he stands still as a group of kids seem to accost him. A girl in the background says, “I feel so bad.”

A third video allegedly shot in a Long Reach classroom, which hasn't been removed, shows a boy and girl swearing at each other as a teacher unsuccessfully attempts to silence them.

Patch contacted Patti Caplan, spokesperson for Howard County Schools, Wednesday at 2:15 p.m. to ask her whether Long Reach administration disciplined any of the students involved in the videos. Patch notified her that a commenter had .

"Whether these incidents were dealt with I have no way of knowing," said Caplan before the videos were removed. "YouTube is blocked in the school system so I can't review any videos unless I'm home."

Around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday the videos had been removed by the user from YouTube.

Caplan said she had not notified administrators at Long Reach about the videos.

"Nothing to do with us, I don't think," said Caplan when asked about the removal of the videos.

Violence and bullying at Long Reach came into focus after a 40-year-old Baltimore man in a viral video released on WorldStarHipHop.com last week. The man, Donnell Maurice Vannison, Tuesday.

Caplan said there was no evidence to suggest that fighting or bullying at Long Reach is "any more prevalent" than other high schools.

Between 2008 and 2011, Long Reach suspended 106 students for attacks, threats or fights, according to statistics compiled from Marylandpublischools.org. The average for all Howard County Public Schools was 104 suspensions over the past three years.

Six other schools had higher numbers than Long Reach. Reservoir High recorded 175, Hammond 162, Wilde Lake 136, Oakland Mills 127, Howard 111, and Mount Hebron 109.

A Long Reach parent, who declined to be identified, said threats and bullying at Long Reach are often handled in ways that don’t result in suspension. The parent’s child left the school this year after a barrage of bullying, including multiple threats on social networks.

Howard County Police spokesperson Sherry Llewellyn said police are currently working with administrators at Long Reach to investigate the bullying allegations after the parent notified police of the threats.

Caplan said the school can't restrict what students post on YouTube because it would violate their freedom of speech. She said fighting and bullying are societal issues.

"It's one of those things that takes a village," said Caplan. "This is a community issue. There's nothing we can do other than work with the students about personal behavior."