It doesn’t matter what is; it only matters what is perceived.

That’s the sentiment some East St. John High School students and leaders face when it comes to community members’ feelings of the parish’s largest school.

More than 1,400 students attend ESJH, filling out classrooms in grades ninth through 12th on an Airline Highway campus in Reserve that only reopened 15 months ago following Hurricane Isaac destruction.

The threat today, real or perceived, comes in reputation.

That reputation took a hit when a 17-year-old student was arrested Oct. 21 for carrying a firearm on campus.

It was the latest in a string of bad school news, keeping the community polarized about its perception: ESJH on the rise; school forever stuck in a rut.

• On Oct. 7, school and law enforcement officials searched East St. John High after a parent reported her child found a bullet on a bus used by students.

• The school community mourned Aug. 5 when it was announced soon-to-be 10th grader Tory Horton was shot and killed three days before the academic year began. Making matters worse, he was killed while getting a fresh haircut for school.

Those incidents and others before them have labeled the school, and worse, its students in a negative fashion.

To fight that perception and champion the many positives taking place, East St. John High recently opened its campus for a public tour led in part by students.

Christian Barrow, an honor senior earning college credits at Southeastern Louisiana University, said he is extremely proud of his school. During the tour, Barrow shared he also hears negative things about his school and wants to correct that story.

“For the majority of students here, we’re just a big family and we’re fighting for our education,” he said. “When we get that kind of reputation, it looks bad on a resume. So many people won’t hire us just because of that perception of East St. John students.”

Last week’s campus arrest led School District and Sheriff’s Office officials to increase security on all campuses, particularly at East St. John High School and LaPlace Elementary — the district’s largest schools.

Those measures include a weapon-sniffing dog on campus each morning, additional deputies at school campuses and increased bus and student searches.

Superintendent Kevin George commended the quick reactions of students and staff at East St. John High for resolving the gun concern quickly and safely.

“A student gave a tip to a teacher, who then immediately alerted school officials, who immediately went to the student in question and were able to recover a magazine clip and the weapon within a matter of minutes of getting that tip,” George said. “I’m not sure five years ago we would have even got the tip.

“Kids are saying, ‘wow, this is our school. This student decided to bring this on campus; I’m telling someone.’ That’s part of the change in the culture. Although it is horrible, we caught it. The kid is arrested and recommended for expulsion.”

Of the 1,400 students on campus, George characterized 1,390 as doing everything they are supposed to do.

“When one kid steps out and does something stupid, it paints that picture on the rest of them,” George said. “When you’re building things and you’re changing things, there are going to be stumbling blocks. I’m not naïve to the fact that an incident like this overshadows all of the good that has been done, but the good has to continue.”

It’s been more than a week since the student was arrested with a gun on campus, and our school leaders and community residents are left with the same questions concerning reality and perception for East St. John High and how the two merge.

George has a message for those in the community: “Show up to that school, ask to see the principal and they will allow you to meet our kids. Be around our students and just see they are normal kids, like anybody else, trying to get their education while growing up. I will promise you, you will have a different take on what you may have heard.”

Stephen Hemelt is publisher and editor of L’OBSERVATEUR. He can be reached at 985-652-9545 or stephen.hemelt@lobservateur.com.