Ivy Ridge students charged after rioting, escape
by James R. Donnelly, Times Staff Writer
First published: Wednesday, May 18, 2005
, Sarah Booth & Chris Garifo
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OGDENSBURG - Twelve Academy at Ivy Ridge students face rioting, assault and other charges following an uprising and escape from the school for troubled youths Monday evening.
"You had a small group of young men who didn't want to be there any longer," St. Lawrence County Sheriff Gary J. Jarvis said. "They were assaulting staff and one another. I think they staged the fights so they could get out."
The melee reportedly started in the boys dormitory, where several windows were broken, fire extinguishers were discharged, a juice machine was overturned and dishes from the kitchen were broken.
"When I was there it looked like every boy on that campus was involved, but no girls," Mr. Jarvis said.
About 35 sheriff's deputies, state troopers, city police officers and U.S. Border Patrol agents were called at 10:20 p.m. to quell the riot and search for missing students. State police dogs were brought in to assist in tracking some of the youths who fled but were not used to take any into custody, troopers said.
During the rioting, some 30 of the school's 450 students fled the Route 37 campus, which is 5 miles west of the city on about 240 acres of heavily wooded land. Most were found close to the campus, and all were returned to Ivy Ridge by 3 a.m., police said.
Two academy workers suffered minor injuries during the rioting. Eight students went to Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center for treatment of injuries. Two students were arrested there and the other six returned to Ivy Ridge.
Charges against the teens stemmed from things they did on campus before fleeing, Undersheriff Kevin F. Wells said.
"Nobody that we are aware of committed crimes against the public," Mr. Wells said.
Tommy L. Austin, 26, of 29 Rensselaer Ave., an off-duty academy worker called in to help during the disturbance, was charged with disorderly conduct after allegedly swearing and being unruly while a student was being arrested. He was issued an appearance ticket to appear in Oswegatchie Town Court on May 25.
Ivy Ridge has expelled 25 students, including all of those charged with crimes. Of those expelled, 14 did not leave the campus during the riot.
"The ones expelled were instigators of the riot," Academy Director Jason G. Finlinson said.
Little evidence of the rioting could be seen at the campus Tuesday. Academy officials would not let the media into the dormitory area but said damaged areas had been cleaned up by morning.
Students dressed in Ivy Ridge's uniform of khaki pants and white shirts walked the halls in straight lines, each counting off when turning a corner, a sign that structure and discipline the school is noted for had returned.
"It's as normal as it can be," Mr. Finlinson said.
A team of therapists has been talking to students to find out what was known about the incident beforehand and to assess the impact the rioting had on teens there.
"You have to understand the caliber of the students who are here. They don't want to be here. They don't like structure. They don't like authority," Mr. Finlinson said. "But what they did last night wasn't acceptable in anybody's book. They put their lives in danger. Who knows what can happen when you go outside these walls?"
Several parents of students said the riot has not caused them any concern and praised the way it was handled by Ivy Ridge officials.
"The school called in all of their staff and the situation was taken care of," said Janet L. Szlyk of Dudley, Mass., whose daughter, Leighann M. Keogh, 16, has been an Ivy Ridge student for almost 15 months.
Mrs. Szlyk said she believes her daughter is safe at Ivy Ridge.
"Like anywhere, there's always going to be problems that arise," she said.
People also need to keep in mind that Ivy Ridge is not a normal boarding school, but is a behavior modification center that takes in hundreds of troubled teens, said Malaica Valiente of Davie, Fla., whose daughter, Sofia R., 14, has been a student at Ivy Ridge since April 2004.
Mrs. Valiente, like other parents of students there, was contacted by Ivy Ridge officials Tuesday and told of the rioting.
"What happened is some younger kids did something stupid," Mrs. Valiente said. "I've been there and I can't believe they would want to run away."
A resident living near Ivy Ridge took news of the runaways in stride. After being told to lock her doors during a call from Ivy Ridge officials Monday night, Pat A. Campanella, of 568 Route 37, turned on her scanner and watched out her window as a couple of students were picked up by police.
"You expect this kind of thing every spring," she said. "We were just hoping nobody would get hurt."
