by Lannie Walker

Guam - Shocking behavior by a group of Guam students has caused a wave of public outcry and now officials are reacting to that outcry and looking at ways to put a stop to actions at one local middle school that have gone way past playful pranks. Speaker Judi Won Pat met with officials from the Guam Police Department, including Acting Chief Major Rick Leon Guerrero and members of the Department of Public Works today to discuss concerns she has over The Outgaters at F.B. Leon Guerrero Middle School.

A group of kids from the school and nearby Simon Sanchez High School have been skipping classes for more than a year and hiding out in the jungle area behind FBLG, cutting through the fence and throwing rocks at unsuspecting students and teachers. Speaker Won Pat visited the campus on Wednesday to see the area for herself, saying, "When we visited the school one of the aides told us he was also hit in the back with a large rock, so I want to make sure the children the faculty and staff are safe."

During the meeting today officials brainstormed on serious solutions to a dangerous situation. One thing that can be done is findings ways to keep the rock throwers at bay.

Andy Leon Guerrero, DPW's director, "One of the concerns that the speaker and most stake holders and parents are concerns about is the gate area the gated area where there seems to be holes that go through them right now where students can go in and out."

Leon Guerrero says DPW may help the Department of Education's secure the fence by lending manpower to fix the gaps. As for GPD, they have vowed to increase their presence around the area, Won Pat said. And the leader of the 30th Guam Legislature says she is looking at ways to obtain grants in order to pay for training for staff member so they may be able to take law enforcement into their own hands.

She points out the violence may not only be causing harm physically it is also hurting morale at the school. "Sometimes just a handful of students can make it look back for the rest of a campus or school," she noted.

Won Pat says communication between school officials and GPD also need work. Today's meeting will not be the last she says a roundtable of all interested stakeholders is being scheduled for early next year.