More News

After parents and administrators said the wooded areas surrounding Suitland High School are unsafe for students, school board members and county and state officials are hoping to work with developers to build a wrought-iron fence to surround the school.

Woodlands near the Forestville school are a prime spot for homeless to take shelter and for illegal activities, said Suitland PTA president Rhonda Chandler, adding that drug paraphernalia and condoms can often be found littering the ground.

Students switching classes sometimes need to walk from the main building to a second annex building, said Donna Crews PTA vice president. Teachers and administrators stand outside while students change classes and return inside when the bell rings, leaving stragglers outside, Crews said.

There are also many students who walk to and from school and cut through the wooded area for a shortcut, Crews said.

One female student was nearly sexually assaulted in August on her walk home, Chandler said, but managed to flee from her assailant. Chandler was unaware if the assault had been reported to police.

Suitland High School principal Mark Fossett did not return calls by press time.

Currently the school is surrounded on one side by a wrought-iron fence and a wire chain-link fence on the other sides, Chandler said.

PTA members brought the issue up to the Prince George's County School Board earlier this month and are asking for the wire part of the fence to be replaced.

"It is an issue," said District 3 school board member Patricia Fletcher. "A chain-link fence is not going to solve it."

Fletcher contacted Councilwoman Camille Exum (Dist. 7) of Seat Pleasant and Sen. Nathaniel Exum (D-Dist.24) of Capitol Heights to speak with them about a way to offset the cost of the fence.

Fletcher said she was looking into having a nearby shopping center, not yet built, help fund the cost for the fence.

"It's one avenue we are looking at," she said.

Suitland High officials have yet to have a contractor estimate the cost of a fence, Chandler said.

The PTA is also asking for an additional security person, she said, adding that the school's current security team is understaffed but doing the best they can, patrolling a large area and looking out for the more than 2,500 students.

E-mail Megan McKeever at mmckeever@gazette.net.