Snuffed

"We played a song called 'Methamphetamine,' " says Jake Precht, bassist for the punk band Misled Citizen. His band represented La Costa Canyon High School at a March 14 battle of the bands held at San Dieguito Academy's gym. "Ironically enough, ["Methamphetamine" is] an anti-drug song that's about how East County San Diego is the meth-lab capital of the world.... I saw the [San Dieguito Academy] principal running towards the judge table with her finger crossing her throat, trying to signal them to disqualify us and cut power.

"Meanwhile, there were some kids moshing.... One girl, next to the mosh pit but not in it, was standing and singing along to the song.... An assistant principal came, grabbed her from behind, and carried her about 25 feet towards the wall.... He forcefully held her against the wall for 30 seconds. The entire time, he was holding her by her breast while he and another woman restrained [the student's] arms. She said she wanted a lawyer and to let go of her breast because he was hurting her, so they kicked her out of the gym."

The 5'2" girl (a minor who wishes to remain unidentified) is an advanced-placement senior at La Costa Canyon High who takes college music courses. Her family filed a police report on March 20, alleging "vehement" battery and assault by two assistant principals. The parents contacted San Dieguito Union High School District superintendent Peggy Lynch the day after the incident and filed a complaint of sexual abuse, assault, and intimidation. The complaint alleges that their daughter's breasts had red fingerprints that were visible three hours after the incident and that she suffered emotional and physical trauma that required a private physician's attention the next day. By law, Child Protective Services will look into those complaints.

"Someone in the crowd caught [the altercation] on videotape," says Precht. "Luckily, he went home that night and backed it up to his computer, which was a good thing.... The school administration confiscated all hard-copy tapes of the event." Witnesses confirm that tapes were confiscated, and at least one videographer is considering civil litigation on the basis of unlawful search and seizure.

School officials declined to comment and would not confirm or deny whether video footage had been confiscated. The San Dieguito Academy assistant principals were said to be "unavailable" for comment. At this writing, the female student's parents have not allowed their daughter to be interviewed by the school district's lawyer; nor have they decided on whether to pursue criminal or civil litigation.

For allegedly using foul language and encouraging the formation of a mosh pit, Misled Citizen was ousted from the competition and the band's members were punished with Saturday schooling. Their scheduled participation in a "Lunchapalooza" school event was canceled.