"Charlottesville High School students on Wednesday said that media coverage of the recent assault charges against eight black students has been too race-based and sensational.

'Race is such an explosive issue that it was irresponsible of the media to focus on it,' said Azzurra Cox, a senior and the daughter of city Councilor Maurice Cox. 'The media was too eager to jump on it.'

She added that the attacks on Asian and white University of Virginia students may be based on 'class tension,' rather than race.

The six assaults, which took place between September and January, have gained attention on Neil Boortz's conservative talk radio show and in the Washington Times, as well as in extensive local coverage. Charlottesville police originally labeled the assaults race-based, saying three of the accused teens reported that victims were picked because they were white.

But CHS students, local leaders and police officials all have said lately that calling the assaults hate crimes was premature, although two white-rights groups, including one led by ex-Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke, have been applying pressure to have the FBI investigate the attacks as hate crimes. The FBI said Wednesday it will monitor the Charlottesville investigation, but not conduct its own investigation.

'I think it's really hard to open the paper and see something labeled as a hate crime,' said Priya Chalam, a senior. 'It's really hard to talk to friends from other schools. I think they'd be blown away if they came here.' Tired of the constant rumors about the arrests, CHS Principal Bobby Thompson earlier this month gathered 16 students to participate in a series of discussions, including Wednesday's.

'I knew I needed to get a diverse group - black, white, boy, girl,' Thompson said, 'and I needed students who won't just sit there and look at me.' The 16 juniors and seniors, some of whom are athletes and reporters on CHS' morning TV news program, offered honest feedback, Thompson said.

In particular, students objected to the coverage of the only 18-year-old accused student, Gordon Lathan Fields, who was charged as an adult. The names of the other, younger teens were not released because they are juveniles.

Fields is well known for his feats on the football field. He was the winner of both The Daily Progress 2001 Central Virginia Defensive Player of the Year and the Jefferson District Defensive Player of the Year awards.

Fields, who was charged with felony malicious wounding in one of the attacks, is getting a raw deal from the media, the students said. 'Gordon hasn't been able to have his say,' senior Brittany Edwards said.

Attempts to contact Fields have been unsuccessful.

Other teens said the school's reputation has sunk since the arrests were made public.

Senior Abby Reid, a competitive swimmer, said she and her team- mates were called 'thugs' by students from other local schools at a recent swim meet.

'We're really proud to go to this school,' she said. 'We're getting along fine.'

Chris Johnson, a black junior, said he's always had white friends.
'Everybody eats lunch at the same time,' he said. 'You meet new people. I think [race relations have] changed for the better.'

Students added that the accused students had white friends at school and didn't seem to hold any racial biases.

'I don't see how these people could have done it,' said senior Bram Wispeowey, a friend of some or the accused students.

'The only problem with race here is that people don't want to talk about it,' Edwards said.

The most immediate result was Thompson's addressing the school Friday on the news show, and students are planning one-on-one discussions and a special edition of the school newspaper.

Thompson has spoken to Fields and his father, and he hopes to talk with the other accused teens, who will be sent to alternative school programs while the charges are pending.

Two 17-year-old girls and three 16- and 17-year-old boys are charged with crimes ranging from misdemeanor assault and battery to robbery in the attacks. Police have said white teenagers were with the suspected assailants during some of the incidents but did not participate. None has been charged.

Some of the accused students, who were all suspended, may go to the city's alternative school or the suspension center at Jefferson School, Thompson said, but the decision is up to Charlottesville school administrators." (Kate Andrews, The Daily Progress, February 21, 2002)