2 parents arrested on Dothan High School's first day
DOTHAN — The first day of classes turned sour at Dothan High School as some students were sent home and two parents were arrested, including a mother who was shot with a Taser as police on campus detained her son on a burglary warrant.
Violations of the school system's dress code forced school officials to send home about two dozen students early on Wednesday, Superintendent Sam Nichols said Thursday. That prompted several angry parents to gather at the school.
Principal Andrew Sewell said the rules were nothing new.
Students were sent home for violations including a lack of belts, untucked shirts, sagging pants and wearing chains, he said, but they were allowed to return after they complied with the rules.
"It's something that needs to be enforced all year long, (and) we need to let that these kids know when they come in that they are accountable," he said.
A parent, Josie Davis, was arrested on a disorderly conduct charge after allegedly becoming unruly while expressing her displeasure with the dress code enforcement.
Cynthia DeBose, whose son Lajarius was sent home for wearing a chain, was outraged.
"It's ridiculous, it doesn't make any sense, it's just a regular chain," she said. "The chain has Jesus and the cross on it."
As the crackdown on the dress code was going on, Dothan police showed up at the high school to serve a burglary warrant on a student. The student's mother was on campus, and police said she was subdued with a Taser gun after trying to interfere with officers.
Video of the arrest shot by WTVY-TV showed a woman and officers on the steps outside the school building yelling at each other as she was restrained.
Police spokesman Tom Davis said Mary Wright was charged with assault, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Authorities accused the woman of assaulting an officer who is based at the high school, located in southeast Alabama.
Neither Davis nor Wright could be located by telephone for comment Thursday.
The superintendent said the school was much quieter on the second day of classes, and there were no problems with the dress code.
"You'd be amazed at how the kids conformed," Nichols said.
