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"It's not a feel- ing of shame by white students or Jewish students or black stu- dents. It's a feeling of shame among all the students of North Farmington High." These Jewish students and oth- ers were unable to recall any in- cident that might have prompted someone to threaten the approximately 60 African Amer- icans who attend the 1,200- student school. But as the police probe unfold- ed this week, the answer to who would do such a thing turned from improbable to bizarre. Po- lice suspect the architect of the hate messages was a 15-year-old African-American girl. At mid-week, Farmington Hills Police Chief William Dwyer was awaiting results of fingerprint and handwriting analysis at the Michigan State Police crime lab before deciding whether to charge the girl with a crime. The crime in question is a vio- lation of Michigan's ethnic intim- idation law, which makes it a felony to threaten harm to some- one based on his or her race. If charged as an adult and found guilty, the student faces up to two years in prison, a $5,000 fine and the possibility of a civil lawsuit. Chief Dwyer said nothing in the law prevents it from being en- forced against one member of an ethnic group for threats against other members of the same group. The string of racially inflam- matory writings rocked the high school and brought the unwel- come glare of media attention when the threats were disclosed earlier this month. On Tuesday, Jan. 2, racial slurs were discovered on the lockers of some black students. The next day, a threatening note directed at African Americans was found. One day later, students found notes in their lockers threatening the lives of several black students. According to Chief Dwyer, the F 15-year-old suspect "may have been involved in two (of the inci- dents) or in all of them." He de- clined to identify the girl or to speculate about her motivation. He said however, that she did not appear to have had any prior brushes with the law. North Farmington Principal Deborah Clarke declined com- ment, referring inquiries on the incident to Don Cowan, a Farm- ington school-district official. "I have not heard of any motivation yet," Mr. Cowan said. "That's the biggest question we have." Julie Harwin, 17, a North Farmington senior, said the hate messages have dissolved some of the cliquishness that has at times separated students at her school. "A lot of the media were saying these notes were tearing this school apart, but they really made people a lot more aware of each other and have brought us closer together," she said. Ms. Harwin noticed, for in- stance, how one of her friends — an African-American on the so- called "Death List" — had been approached by non-African-Amer- ican students in the past week. "They weren't necessarily Incident draws students together. friends with him, bu:., they were reaching out to him. "Everyone was che'cking up on each other and making sure everyone was OK." Mr. Ellis, a student-council member, said his classmates "feel like our school is a little United Nations. Basically, we get along and there is not a lot of ethnic ten- sion. So we're dealing with it and trying to take it in stride. We're not making light of it, but we re- alize this incident shouldn't create more tension." Melanie Stein, a 15-year-old freshman, said school officials have clamped down on granting hall passes to students and are patrolling the school grounds in greater numbers. Teachers also were discussing race relations with students and trying to dispel rumors circulat- ing through the student body. Mr. Cowan acknowledged that the hate messages and dramatic twists of the investigation have left school officials "with a situa- tion that is certainly inique." "It's not something for which there is any set plan," he said. "We just have to provide facts. We have to communicate." ❑