School district rescinds gang warning

A Chester County school district has backed off its effort to warn residents about possible gang activity in neighboring districts and issued an apology to one of them.

"No students from Kennett Consolidated School District have been implicated in any wrongdoing," today's statement from the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District said. "We apologize to the Kennett Consolidatd School District community for this error. In addition, police have not confirmed gang involvement regarding these recent events."

An alert issued Thursday by the Unionville district warned about "disturbing violence reportedly involving rival gangs in the Avon Grove and Kennett School Districts," The statement, which was applauded for its candor by parents who contacted The Inquirer, was a response to a double homicide on Saturday in New Garden Township.

So far, an Avon Grove student and a former student have been charged in connection with the fatal stabbings of Cuahuctemoc Bedolla, 27, and Jose Rodriguez, 29, both of West Grove. Bedolla, also a former Avon Grove student, was ordered by a Chester County Court judge in 2007 to refrain from participating in any gang involved in criminal activity.

Police said the murders occurred at an outdoor party in New Garden Township that was attended by students from several area schools. In an email to The Inquirer, Kennett Superintendent Barry Tomasetti declined to discuss any measures the district was taking to ensure student safety, but he criticized the Unionville statement for insinuating that Kennett students were involved in criminal activity, calling the alert "irresponsible."