Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Explained

Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School
Motto:Be Positive, Be Passionate, Be Proud to be an Eagle
Address:5901 Pine Island Road
Zipcode:33076
Country:United States
Former Names:-->
Founders:-->
Principal:Michelle Kefford
Teaching Staff:138.12
Grades:9–12
Enrollment:3,504 (2022-23)
Ratio:25.37
Colors:Burgundy and silver
Nickname:Eagles
Accreditations:-->
Newspaper:The Eagle Eye
Affiliations:-->
Picture Caption:Image of the school in June 2008

Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School is a public high school in Parkland, Florida, United States. Established in 1990 as part of the Broward County Public Schools district and named after the writer Marjory Stoneman Douglas, it is the only public high school in Parkland, serving almost the entire city as well as a small section of neighboring Coral Springs.[1] [2] [3]

On February 14, 2018, the school was the scene of a deadly mass shooting perpetrated by a 19-year-old former student of the school, in which 17 people were murdered and 17 others injured. On June 14, 2024, the building where the shooting took place was demolished.[4]

History

Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School is named after the Everglades environmentalist Marjory Stoneman Douglas. The school is located just under two miles from the Everglades National Park, on part of the historical Everglades[5] for which Marjory Stoneman Douglas advocated. The school opened in 1990, the year of her centennial,[6] with students in grades 9 through 11, most of whom transferred from nearby schools Coral Springs High School and J. P. Taravella High School. The first senior class graduated in 1992.

Shooting

See main article: Parkland high school shooting. On February 14, 2018, a mass shooting at the campus perpetrated by a 19-year-old former student of the school armed with a semi-automatic AR-15 style rifle left 17 dead and 17 more wounded in less than six minutes.[7] [8] The gunman, Nikolas Cruz was apprehended hours later.[9] [10] [11] At the time, it was the deadliest high school shooting in U.S. history, surpassing the Columbine High School massacre on April 20, 1999, in which 13 people were killed.[12] [13] In 2016, a Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School school resource Broward County Sheriff's Office deputy had an investigator for the Florida Department of Children and Families speak to the defendant, but the defendant's therapist said that he was "not currently a threat to himself or others" and did not need to be committed. A mental health counselor said the defendant did not meet the criteria under Florida law that allows the police to commit a mentally ill person against their will. Stoneman Douglas High School conducted a "threat assessment" on the defendant after the counselor's report, and the Florida Department of Children and Families ultimately concluded that the defendant was not a threat because he was living with his mother, attending school, and seeing a counselor.[14] [15]

Authorities charged the gunman with first-degree murder, and the case went to trial in September 2021 along with the case of an attack by the defendant against a jail officer.[16] [17] [18] On October 20, 2021, the gunman pleaded guilty to all charges, including murder and attempted murder.[19] On November 2, 2022, the gunman was sentenced to 34 consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, one life sentence for each of the victims murdered and wounded by the gunman.[20]

Students from Stoneman Douglas were instrumental in helping organize nationwide student protests following the shooting, and in spurring the revision of Florida law, on March 4, 2018, to raise the legal rifle-owner age from 18 to 21, with a three-day wait.[21] [22] [23]

The building where the shooting occurred was permanently closed, and it served as evidence at the subsequent murder trial. Demolition of the structure began on June 14, 2024. The project was completed on July 5.[24] Future plans for the site have not been finalized.[25] [26]

Athletics

The Marjory Stoneman Douglas Athletics Department operates programs in football, volleyball, lacrosse, softball, tennis, track, water polo, bowling, basketball, cheerleading, soccer, wrestling, swimming, cross country, and golf.[27]

The cheerleading squad at the school received international attention in 2012 when its coach[28] was fired in response to complaints from parents. Parents complained about being charged thousands of dollars for their children to participate in the program, and alleged that the coach mishandled the team's finances and encouraged bullying.[29]

Academics

Newsweeks 2009 national ranking of high schools rated Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School as No. 208 in the U.S., and No. 38 in Florida, which was the highest ranking of any school in Broward County.[30]

Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School had a Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) school grade of "A" for the 2011–2012 academic school year.[31]

Extracurricular activities

There are numerous clubs at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School including DECA, speech and debate, Key Club, and cultural clubs including ISA (Indian Student Associations), Black Student Union Club, French Club, and Spanish club.[32]

Drama Club

Several students in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Drama Club wrote "Shine", a song memorializing the victims of the school shooting in 2018 and others who have experienced gun violence. It has been performed at various venues, including a nationally-broadcast CNN town hall, and at the March for Our Lives rally in Washington, D.C. on March 24, 2018. It has also been performed by other musical groups, such as the Badiene Magaziner Vocal Studio at the March for Our Lives rally in New York City on the same day.[33] The drama club performed at the 2018 Tony Awards.

Newspaper

The Eagle Eye is the student-run news publication of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.[34] They made international press for their reporting of the 2018 shooting and its aftermath.[35] [36] Two issues of the student newspaper were submitted for the Pulitzer Prize for their work covering student obituaries.[37] [38]

Winterguard

The Stoneman Douglas World Guard has made finals at WGI World Championships 9 times.

Demographics

As of the 2017–2018 school year, the total student enrolment was 3,330. The ethnic makeup of the school was 57% White, 22% Hispanic, 11% Black, 7% Asian and 3% multiracial. 27% of the students were eligible for free or reduced cost lunch.

Notable alumni

External links

Notes and References

  1. "Stoneman Douglas, Marjory." Broward County Public Schools. Retrieved on July 15, 2024.
  2. "Zoning Map." City of Parkland. Retrieved on September 22, 2018.
  3. "Zoning Map." City of Coral Springs. Retrieved on September 22, 2018.
  4. Web site: Sanchez . Alaa Elassar, Carlos Suarez, Denise Royal, Ray . 2024-06-14 . Parkland high school massacre site: Demolition begins as families of the victims look on . 2024-06-14 . CNN . en.
  5. Web site: U.S. Geological Survey. Florida Everglades. Circular 1182. U.S. Geological Survey. 1999. 2008-03-14. 2008-06-26. https://web.archive.org/web/20080626081529/http://sofia.usgs.gov/publications/circular/1182/. dead.
  6. Book: Jack E. Davis . An Everglades Providence: Marjory Stoneman Douglas and the American Environmental Century . 2009 . University of Georgia Press . 978-0-8203-3071-6 . 552–.
  7. Web site: Florida official recommends suspended Parkland sheriff be reinstated. Louis. Casiano. September 25, 2019. Fox News.
  8. News: Earl . Jennifer . Florida school shooting among 10 deadliest in modern US history . February 15, 2018 . . February 14, 2018 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180215021549/http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/02/14/florida-school-shooting-among-10-deadliest-in-modern-us-history.html . February 15, 2018.
  9. Jack Buckby (2020). Monster of Their Own Making; How the Far Left, the Media, and Politicians are Creating Far-Right Extremists
  10. News: Grinberg . Emanuella . Levenson . Eric . At least 17 dead in Florida school shooting, law enforcement says . February 15, 2018 . . February 14, 2018.
  11. Web site: Police respond to shooting at Florida high school, suspect at large . Yahoo! News . February 14, 2018 . February 14, 2018 . Emily . Shapiro.
  12. Web site: At least 17 people dead in Florida school shooting: 'It's a horrific, horrific day'. Laughland. Oliver. Luscombe. Richard. Yuhas. Alan. February 15, 2018. The Guardian. February 15, 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180215075616/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/feb/14/florida-shooting-school-latest-news-stoneman-douglas. February 15, 2018. mdy-all.
  13. Web site: Florida school shooting among 10 deadliest in modern US history. Earl. Jennifer. February 14, 2018. Fox News. February 15, 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180215021549/http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/02/14/florida-school-shooting-among-10-deadliest-in-modern-us-history.html. February 15, 2018. mdy-all.
  14. Web site: Sheriff says he got 23 calls about shooter's family, but records show more. Curt Devine, Jose. Pagliery. February 27, 2018. CNN.
  15. Web site: As Gunman Rampaged Through Florida School, Armed Deputy 'Never Went In'. Alan. Blinder. Patricia. Mazzei. February 22, 2018. The New York Times.
  16. News: Florida shooting: FBI was alerted about threat on YouTube . Kosnar . Michael . Arkin . Daniel . February 16, 2018 . . Feb 16, 2018 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180216002939/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/florida-shooting-fbi-was-alerted-about-threat-posted-youtube-n848316 . February 16, 2018 . mdy-all.
  17. News: Alex . Lockie . Suspect in Florida shooting could face death penalty for 17 counts of premeditated murder . February 15, 2018 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180215160720/http://www.businessinsider.com/florida-school-shooting-suspect-nikolas-cruz-could-face-death-penalty-2018-2 . February 15, 2018 . mdy-all.
  18. Web site: May 7, 2021. Nikolas Cruz expected to go to trial in September for Parkland school shooting. Local 10. en.
  19. News: Prosecutor recalls coldness, cruelty of Parkland gunman. Associated Press. July 20, 2022. Spencer. Terry. July 18, 2022.
  20. News: Florida school mass shooter sentenced to life in prison. TODAY. Singapore. November 3, 2022. November 4, 2022.
  21. Web site: Florida school shooting timeline . FoxNews.com . Feb 18, 2018 . 2018-11-10 .
  22. Web site: National School Walkout: Thousands Protest against Gun Violence ... . . March 14, 2018 . 2018-11-10 .
  23. News: Captain in Parkland school shooting was brought onto force by Sheriff Israel . Fleshler . David . Hobbs . Stephen . Huriash . Lisa J. . Trischitta . Linda . March 2, 2018 . . 2018-11-10.
  24. https://m.fox17.com/news/nation-world/1200-building-where-parkland-marjory-stoneman-douglas-high-school-shooting-happened-fully-torn-down-july-4-2024
  25. News: Spencer . Terry . June 13, 2024 . Six years after the Parkland school massacre, the bloodstained building will finally be demolished . . June 13, 2024 .
  26. https://www.tapinto.net/towns/parkland/sections/stoneman-douglas/articles/what-s-to-become-of-the-1200-building-location-on-the-msd-campus
  27. Web site: Athletic Schedules . 2018-06-19 . Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
  28. News: More bullying alleged against fired cheerleading coach; Coral Glades High did nothing. Nevins, Buddy. 2012-10-16. 2018-06-19. Florida Bulldog.
  29. News: Florida Cheerleader Coach Fired for Alleged Pay-to-Play Scheme. Gutman, Matt. 2012-10-05. 2018-06-19. ABC News. Walt Disney Company.
  30. Web site: SUBJECT: 10 District High Schools, One Charter Named Among Newsweek's Top High Schools. Broward County Public Schools. February 16, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20090611062520/http://www.browardschools.com/press/release.asp?press_id=959. June 11, 2009. June 10, 2009.
  31. Web site: FCAT School Grades – High. Broward County Public Schools. February 16, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20120917141517/http://www.browardschools.com/schools/fcat/high.htm. September 17, 2012. 2012. dead. mdy-all.
  32. Web site: Clubs and Activities / Clubs and Activities. www.browardschools.com.
  33. Erika Pesantes. "Amid the darkness of massacre, student songwriters 'Shine' light". Chicago Tribune (March 10, 2018).
  34. Web site: About . 2022-07-08 . THE EAGLE EYE.
  35. Web site: 2018-04-08 . Florida school shooting survivors release 'cathartic' memorial magazine . 2022-07-08 . the Guardian . en.
  36. News: Lombardo . Clare . 2018-02-22 . 'It's Not Just A Story. It's Our Lives': Student Journalists In Parkland . en . NPR . 2022-07-08.
  37. News: Mazzei . Patricia . 2019-04-16 . Parkland Students Bask in Pulitzer Mention: 'They Took Us Seriously' . en-US . The New York Times . 2022-07-08 . 0362-4331.
  38. Web site: Daugherty . Owen . 2019-04-15 . Stoneman Douglas student newspaper praised by Pulitzer officials . 2022-07-08 . The Hill . en-US.
  39. News: Diaz . Johnny . 2018-02-14 . Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland Facts about the site of the mass shooting . . 2022-06-07.
  40. Web site: 2018-03-24 . Human Rights Campaign on Twitter . 2022-06-07.
  41. Web site: Matt Fox Stats. Baseball-Reference.com. February 16, 2018. en. 2018.
  42. Web site: Flyers' Shayne Gostisbehere reacts to shooting at old high school. February 15, 2018.
  43. News: Bowker. Tom. Real World Punk. February 19, 2018. Miami New Times. March 15, 2001.
  44. Web site: Jaffe . Michael . Orioles prospect who survived Parkland school shooting 'disgusted' by acquittal of SRO . WBFF . en . 29 June 2023.
  45. News: Turner. Jim. 5 questions for Jared Moskowitz, Florida's director of emergency management. sun-sentinel.com. 2020-02-24.
  46. Web site: Florida shooting: Cubs' Anthony Rizzo sends support to his high school. USA Today. February 15, 2018. February 14, 2018.
  47. Web site: Shellene. Richard. The Bright Lights of Broward. Lifestyle Coral Springs. December 2013. 2022-08-29. Jackie Sandler…She later attended Stoneman Douglas High.
  48. News: Marr. Madeline. It was the scene of unspeakable violence. Hours before, it was just another high school. February 15, 2018. Miami Herald. February 14, 2018. Notable alumni include ...“Sharknado” actress Cassie Scerbo....
  49. News: Davis . Craig . McIlroy saves up-and-down day with late birdies . February 16, 2018 . . February 26, 2015.

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