Hempstead High closes early after week's 2nd disruption

Just days after a brawl at Hempstead High School led to eight students' arrests, administrators abruptly ended the school day early Friday after another disturbance broke out, according to police and students.

In Friday's incident, Hempstead police - whose officers were already at the school because of the Monday fight - said no injuries were reported, but two students were arrested on charges of disorderly conduct, Lt. Vincent Montera said late Friday afternoon.

The student body was let out early in staggered dismissals. Montera said Friday's disturbance appeared unrelated to Monday's.

Shortly after the Friday disturbance, school officials met to discuss how to deal with the ongoing disorder.

Hempstead Superintendent Patricia Watkins said school officials would be seeking help from community leaders and parents in the days and weeks ahead.

"This issue is one that needs to be owned by all of us," she said.

Parents who picked up their students said they were upset their kids' education had once again been disrupted by the tensions.

"What's going to happen? This is too much," said Nancy Mendoza, 44, as she stood with her daughter, 14-year-old freshman Samantha Mendoza, who had been on a sixth-period lunchbreak when the quarrel broke out.

Nancy Mendoza said the disturbances have left her questioning whether her family should have moved here.

"I should have stayed in Queens," she said, adding that such regular fights were unheard of at their former school in the borough.

On Saturday, administrators and Mayor Wayne Hall are set for a 1 p.m. public meeting at the high school about the situation.

Yenci Lemus, 15, a freshman, was picked up from school by her father, Oscar Aguilar.

She said she was in Living Environment class when the dispute broke out.

"They just started fighting again, like on Monday. This time, it was the girls," she said.

With Sophia Chang

and John Valenti