Get Schooled

By EW

April 26, 2006 03:29 PM | Link to this

In my teaching career, I have stepped into ONE girl fight, which happened to be this year. I’ve witnessed many; however I vowed that I would never step in. Girls fight with extreme emotion and passion, they go for broke, no holds barred. I have seen grown adult men get hurt in girl fights. I have seen every hair weave, earring, shoe and piece of clothing used as a projectile. I have seen all body parts exposed because girls don’t care when they start to fight, it is truly embarrassing… I’ve seen girls peppered sprayed… This is not in Clayton, Atlanta, Decatur… this is in the real suburbs…. Black and White.

By luvs2teach

April 26, 2006 03:39 PM | Link to this

The two worst fights I ever broke up were girl fights. Guys punch it out and get it over with - girls scratch, pull hair, and bite.

One fight took 5 people (3 were men) two on one girl, two on the other, and I was in the middle using my body as a barrier between the two. when all was said and done, there were clumps of hair (hair - not weave!) all over the floor of my room. At least there was no blood…

That was reserved for the very worst fight I was witness to - this one took about 8 teachers to break up. It took place in the cafeteria and mainly consisted of one girl repeatedly bashing the head of the other girl into the wall - that girl wore braces and her mouth got really cut up.

Lovely, isn’t it? All because of hormones, “girl drama”, and a misguided sense of self-respect.

Makes homeschooling - even unschooling - look pretty good, doesn’t it?

By SET

April 26, 2006 03:41 PM | Link to this

This is an example of what happens when administration fails to keep a climate of fear in a high school.

I was in HS in the early 1970’s, in a public school. It was one of the best schools academically in Northern California. People were expelled every year, right up to 2 weeks before they would have graduated. Not many people, but somebody got it every year.

Anybody, female or not, pulling a stunt like this would have been expelled and sent to the ghetto continuation school our district contracted with. Any frankly people were expelled for less than this.

We all knew better.

Brave New World!

By C.R.H.

April 26, 2006 03:44 PM | Link to this

I have stepped into fights between males that outweighed me by more than 100 pounds…I have never stepped in between girls that were swinging. I have helped by “jumping on the pile” of about 4 faculty members that were tryong to restrain a girl who was fighting, and that was enough for me.

By LitMajor

April 26, 2006 03:51 PM | Link to this

luvs2teach-

You are right. I would never step attempt to break up a fight between girls. They have no fear or sense of restraint when they get emotionally “riled up.”

It’s terrible that so many of them think so little of their education that they feel the need to fight before school even started. And the males on the other side of the building, were they fighting out of pure boredom?

They all got what they deserved. Let them get a taste of jail so they can see what road they are heading down.

By SET

April 26, 2006 03:52 PM | Link to this

Sorry, Typo! “And frankly, people were expelled for less than this.”

By DR

April 26, 2006 03:53 PM | Link to this

Remember, always wait for the cops to break up a fight between students. It is illegal to touch a student for any reason.

By Val

April 26, 2006 03:53 PM | Link to this

What is so sad and aggravating is that on most days during school hours, students of school age are walking up Rex Road away from Morrow Middle and High school.I thought we had a trancy law in this county if not state-wide. Where are the school officials, parents, police and other county officials when this is occurring. I have called the police on several occassions to inform them of this problem but it never fails that when I drive down this road, which is quite often, there are still students out.

By hs sped

April 26, 2006 03:56 PM | Link to this

I used to work at Morrow Middle School and have seen my share of girl fights. I can only imagine this particular fight. You’re right, luvs2teach, I bet there was hair in every spot imaginable. Girls are vicious.

By RA

April 26, 2006 03:58 PM | Link to this

A recent girl fight in my county’s affluent high school resulted in one girl slashing another girl’s face, from eye socket to chin, with a razor. A teacher friend of mine told me it was the worst thing she had ever seen.

It was mentioned only briefly on the 4 p.m. news, then never mentioned again—anywhere. The next day, it was like it never even happened.

I was interested in how quickly and thoroughly news of the fight at Morrow spread thru the local media. I wonder at the disparity.

By Da Real Raider

April 26, 2006 04:02 PM | Link to this

If the cops are’nt around, let’em duke it out! Girlfights are some of the most wildest, dangerous things to get involved in(teen girls especially). Its not uncommon to see teenage girls fighting these days,especially in Clayton County. I was at the gas station one Friday, when the school bus dropped some students off across the street. A group of the hs aged students just walked across to the station(I’m assuming to stash out on some afterschool snacks). They were real high strung and rowdy(what you would expect of kids getting outta school on Fri)cussing like sailors,etc.Next thing you know…FIGHT!!FIGHT!!”GET THAT B@#CH”. Two of the girls were goin at it,the other kids were rooting them on,one girl watching was crying for help but was overshadowed by the other kids’ roots,taunts,and profanity. It all lasted for roughly 45seconds until both girls fought themselves to fatigue,and both layed on the pavement beside each other, catching their breath. And just like that,the kids,two girls included,all walked back across the street as if it did’nt happen! All the bystanders(myself included)all shook our heads in amazement,not one Forest Park police in sight(as many tickets that they write along that highway,you’d expect at least 1 to pass by when the fight took place). All that being said, why risk your safety trying to be a hero? KIDS ARE GONNA FIGHT,point blank,most of us have been in a school-related scuffle before(and most of us even MADE UP with the person we were fighting later on!!!).Hats off to the teachers that have to step in and break those fights up.

By luvs2teach

April 26, 2006 04:05 PM | Link to this

Actually DR, we were told it is illegal for us not to try and stop it - it doesn’t mean we have to get physically involved but we have to yell stop and get help.

Unfortunately, there is a legal liability if we don’t try to stop it somehow, and it’s really hard to just stand there - we also have to try to get the spectators back where they belong.

By you can have it

April 26, 2006 04:20 PM | Link to this

Let them fight. They are uncultured heathens anyhow. I gave up trying to teach the morons.

By OldSchool

April 26, 2006 05:06 PM | Link to this

I’m a 5’6” female teacher and I’ve broken up a couple of fights between guys with no injury. I won’t try that with girls though. As the students say, “Girls will cut ya!” The most amazing girlfight I’ve seen was so animated, I swear the combatants levitated and slammed back down on the floor. Didn’t miss a beat…just kept on wrestling until they managed to tear each other’s clothes up. We tried to stop it but with as much blood and spit as was flying around, it was kinda risky.

Then there was the girl who conked another in the head with a baseball bat. The injured girl didn’t seem fazed at all but that lick sounded loud enough to be a homerun!

Nope, I won’t break up girlfights. They fight dirty.

By Karen Armsby

April 27, 2006 08:19 AM | Link to this

I have thought that schools should use large lightweight but sticky nets that are propelled from a safe distance toward the combatants, ensnaring them and rendering them helpless to continue fighting. Then they can be contained until the police arrive on scene. What do y’all think?

By meme

April 27, 2006 08:46 AM | Link to this

Sounds like a great idea, Karen, and maybe even add a little taser to the net.

By oldteacher

April 27, 2006 08:57 AM | Link to this

Patti, I thank the powers above that we don’t have very many girl fights here at our middle school. I count myself lucky that I have never seen a girl fight in person. Those that I have witness on tv are extremely violent and I would never put myself between the girls. I have gotten to the point in my life that I break easily and I wouldn’t put myself between two middle school boys either.

By Karen Armsby

April 27, 2006 09:02 AM | Link to this

meme, Actually I am serious, and so a taser would not be good! I think anything that stops a fight, immobilizes and contains the students and keeps them there until police arrive, would reduce escalating violnce, reduce the number of injuries to students and be a safer intervention for admins and teachers.

By GW

April 27, 2006 09:11 AM | Link to this

When a fight breaks out at school the best thing for the teachers to do is to discourage the mob from rushing to the scene. Don’t touch the fighters, especially girls.

By Joe

April 27, 2006 09:12 AM | Link to this

My two high schoolers attend school in Alpharetta and after hearing about all the girl fights in the news lately I made it a point to speak to both of them about this subject. They both had the deer in the headlights look when I approached the subject like dad what are you talking about? Neither had ever witnessed girls fighting. Now that more and more press has been given to this subject, it appears the worst of the worst is Clayton County. If you remember the news surrounding the Friday night football brawls the same area, the same schools experienced last fall, perhaps you won’t be surprised the same schools are experiencing all the violent group fights. I grew up in the Atlanta area, I can recall when Clayton County never made the news. Almost daily now it’s an area of violence. The few people I knew that lived in that area have since moved in the past couple of years, citing saftey and a decline of property value as the reason.

By RF

April 27, 2006 09:12 AM | Link to this

I ended up in the middle of a fight between two girls in my classroom, and let me tell you it was not fun!! I took more punches than they did trying to keep them apart until help could arrive. I finally had to bear hug one girl and drag her, kicking, screaming, and cussing out of the room. I ended up with teeth marks on my arm and a bruise for my efforts. Girls fight full-force and I don’t get between them anymore!

By ALICIA

April 27, 2006 09:22 AM | Link to this

As sad as it is, we ARE talking about children. What is the matter with you?

By teach overseas

April 27, 2006 09:34 AM | Link to this

I would never get involved in a girl fight. The one I saw at public school, I went in my room and closed the door. ( I was keeping some other students safe) You can’t prove that bruise didn’t come from you. The parents of these kinds of girls are the first ones to sue. If they want to beat each other- I have no obligation to do anything.

By luvs2teach

April 27, 2006 09:37 AM | Link to this

Alicia - yes, we are talking about children - and that’s the scary thing! We also have children witnessing these extreme acts of violence!

These are children (at least at my middle school) whose bodies are fully developed - they are as tall, if not taller, than me! Many weigh more (and I’m not petite). Let the adrenaline surge, and they become dangerous. We had two teachers injured in a girl fight here recently - one to the point of needing hospital care.

In many ways, they are children in age and mentality only - not fighting ability.

This is one aspect of teaching that physically disgusts me when it occurs - and the parents that encourage and condone it ARE my idea of bad parents (and I’ll support parents more often than not - but not in this case).

By Pam

April 27, 2006 09:46 AM | Link to this

The SCHOOL OFFICIALS are busy about the business of educating our students. The young people walking away from Morrow High School BELONG TO THEIR PARENTS! Let the parents take responsibility for their delinquent children and let the school officials teach the ones who are at school to learn.

By Leia

April 27, 2006 10:00 AM | Link to this

I will NEVER get in the middle of a fight - girls or not. The girls carry box-cutters, and the boys carry knives. And to top it all off - we have had teachers reprimanded by the principal for “putting your hands on a student”. And the parents are quick to threaten a lawsuit. They are more interested in suing the school and the individual teacher than investigating why their child chose to act like a jacka$$ at school!

By BlindHomer

April 27, 2006 10:06 AM | Link to this

There is a fundamental flaw in the discipline system, which generally says slapping a teacher is a type 1 offense that can results (and should) in immediate expulsion, but they can beat each other’s brains out 2 or 3 times as a type 2 offense and only get a five day suspension.

By Jesse's Girl

April 27, 2006 10:08 AM | Link to this

This just disturbs me. I have 2 elementary aged girls and although it would make my life a lot easier to let them ride the bus to and from school…….this is the reason I absolutely WILL NOT!!!! All I seem to hear about is students fighting on school property or on the bus. Where are these parents after something like this? I’d like to hear from you teachers out there regarding this. I assume the parents are called in to “discuss” their little angel’s antics. I am curious to know, on average, what is their reaction? Are they indignant or appalled? You parents who have children who behave so criminally should be punished as well. What are you teaching your daughters? Is this an across the board issue with all schools or is it relegated to a few? A concerned parent needs to know.

By Jeff

April 27, 2006 10:14 AM | Link to this

6’1”, big guy here (deceptively so though). I get involved in any student fight I witness, and I end it. I was trained with the same training certain Justice Dept employees get for a previous job, and I know the proper ways of applying the same holds they are authorized to employ.

I use minimum force necessary to end the conflict, but I GAURANTEE YOU, I end it.

Fortunately, the only student I’ve had to employ this on so far is my younger bro. DO NOT look forward to doing this in a school setting…

By MSB es teach

April 27, 2006 10:25 AM | Link to this

I am an elementary school pe teacher. I transfered after one year of high school. That was enough for me. But even here, I had 2 second graders get in a fight, a boy and a girl. The girl started the fight by hitting and pushing the boy. When I called her parents, I was told that their daughter would never do something like that and I was obviously mistaken. Situations like this are why kids continue to fight in school. There are no consequences for them, even from administration. Both of these kids were let off with a warning. Yeah, it is just secind grade but when do we start making kids accountable for their actions? I also had a fourth grade student punch me because he was trying to leave the gym and was being very forceful about it. He is EBD and I was had to restrain him because he was going to hurt someone eventually if I didn’t get him under control. Administration said that hitting me and giving me a black eye was an accident because I was having to restrain him and that he didn’t intentionally try to hurt me. Nothing was done to him! If you don’t get control of these kinds of situations early on, they will escalate into those like at Morrow. Administrations need to be more concerned about real discipline. Instead, they just don’t want to make waves. Until that is fixed, I truly believe that things will only get worse.

By SET

April 27, 2006 10:30 AM | Link to this

I have friends who enrolled their son in Combat Training when he was 8. His classmates at the fighting school were as young as 4 or 5, boys and girls. He eventually got a black belt and did international competition while still in high school.

On occasion I went to the fighting school and watched the kids work out with my friends from the parent’s gallery which was on a one way mirror/window facing the class.

They taught these kids to disable or cripple attackers. The child I knew in that class was attacked occasionally in his public school. It was not a problem. His attackers were injured very quickly and he was fine. The fighting school stressed discipline and all the students (who went to different schools) had to bring in their report cards and present them to the instructor in front of the other students.

Back to point, if a public school can’t control girls or boys and they are having melees with weapons the school should be closed for a time and the management replaced. Obviously the problem children should be expelled and handled in the criminal system. If the school can’t control children it shouldn’t be allowed to exist.

The other thing the families who have to send their kids there can do is enroll them in combat training where they are taught when and how to cripple an attacker. Dumb as the problem kids are they tend to not attack people who can easily defend themselves.

And yes, deadly force was taught and the students were drilled on when it’s use was allowed. If they were attacked with a gun or a knife they were trained to respond with deadly force without hesitation. By the time these students were 11 they were extremely dangerous to any adult who did not realize who they were attacking.

By Jesse's Girl

April 27, 2006 10:46 AM | Link to this

Can you give the name of the fighting school? Or can this training be attained at any local Karate class?

By Elsie

April 27, 2006 10:52 AM | Link to this

Jeff~ You need to find out your school’s policy on teacher involvement TODAY. If you get involved in a fight, you WILL be sued, and your administration will not back you up if you’ve gone against school policy (heck, it’s hard enough to get administrators to back you up in any case!). It goes against everything in us to leave them alone while they’re fighting, but one fight could cost you your career.

By teach overseas

April 27, 2006 10:53 AM | Link to this

Check out the principal’s letter to parents posted on the front page of the AJC. Count the number of positive words used to describe the “incident” No where does he use words like outrage, disgusted, horrific,uncontrollable, disgraceful, etc. Think this will be swept under the rug as soon as possible? The parents of these students will be the first ones in the office screaming about their “rights”. We will hear about how their child is an honor student who was lured into the fight by others. We will hear about how this will hurt their child’s chances for college. We will hear how unfair the principal, teachers, the school system in total is. Anything and everything other than how their child might be somewhat to blame for this disgusting display of behavior.

By tiger2

April 27, 2006 10:55 AM | Link to this

I once tried to stop two girls(actually women) from fighting. First my glasses went flying and I was scratched on the face really bad. From now on I’ll just take bets.

By Tiger21

April 27, 2006 11:03 AM | Link to this

I like the idea of sticky nets. I think all households, police departments and institutions should have them. You can’t beat Spiderman.

By Amazed (Independent Woman)

April 27, 2006 11:05 AM | Link to this

Someone said it CORRECTLY, yesterday. This would not be news, except for the demographics of the area.

The more affluent can have problems GALORE, but you won’t hear about them on the 5 or 6PM News.

GET SCHOOLED TOPIC: Why not talk about the KEG Prom Party, thrown by two adults for minors? I guess you will wait to see IF FORMAL Charges will be brought againt the adults or if it goes to court at all. I’m sure NEWS about this party “BEFORE HAND” was talked about during school hours.

“Hey DUDE”, my mom/dad will buy “us” a KEG for PROM and you’re invited.” We’ll all get stone DRUNK, with my affluent parents.

By Leia

April 27, 2006 11:15 AM | Link to this

Amazed - AMEN!!!

By somadd

April 27, 2006 11:20 AM | Link to this

I break up fights all the time. I’m a 5’2” lady…..but I can go with the best of them. I’m not sure if that is a part of my job description though!

By Belle

April 27, 2006 11:27 AM | Link to this

I agree with needing extreme punishments for the instigators, however, what about the student who wants no part of the altercation and has no choice but to defend her/him self. I realize that in most cases there is no way to find out who started what, but I really do feel bad for the kid who gets picked on or singled out by a bully. We tend to lump all the participants together but most fights that happen are small on scale and involve one child being attacked. Any thoughts on how to handle these types of situations?

By Terri

April 27, 2006 11:30 AM | Link to this

I teach middle and high school. If I see girls in a fight, unless it becomes overly threatening, I let it go until help from another teacher, administrator, or police officer comes along.
When boys fight they usually punch it out and no one else jumps in or on someone else. When an authority figure breaks it up they generally go along fairly peacefully. You might say their fights usually have some sort of unwritten rules. Girls, on the other hand, will scratch, pull hair, punch, kick, bite, whatever it takes. If you pull them apart they are still trying to reach one another and finish what they started.

By Taxpayer

April 27, 2006 11:34 AM | Link to this

Amazed, I’m not sure that people on this blog really care about the problem of underage alcohol consumption. When Patti posted a related topic several weeks ago, there were less than 20 responses. But parents had better get wise and get over that “not my kid” attitude. If a child starts drinking before age 15, he/she is very likely to have problems with alcohol for LIFE. Sorry — off topic and on a soapbox, but I really care about this!

By Jill

April 27, 2006 11:41 AM | Link to this

Back in the mid-1990s, when I was a student at South Forsyth Middle School, we had a stretch were we had several fights in a day. It’s almost like just watching people fight would make others want to fight — a copycat effect. The worst fight of all was Monica against Sarah. Earrings got pulled in that one. The funniest fight, though, was against 2 guys, when an overweight 8th-grade teacher tried to break up a fight at the entrance to the boys’ bathroom, and his pants fell down! My friends STILL remember seeing that!!!!

By Jesse's Girl

April 27, 2006 11:48 AM | Link to this

Taxpayer…I am so with you! Why is ther so much dern hype over smoking and almost NONE directed at underage drinking?! This enrages me! I would not like either one for my child…obviously. But I think smoking is the lesser of the two evils. No one has ever died because they were smoking a cigarrette while driving. I want my children to know that drinking is unacceptable under ANY circumstances. I really think we need to raise our children like government spies. No matter what it takes….you must know what your children are doing and with whom! The wrath my children will face if they behave in any of the ways stated here will pale in comparison to anything a teacher, administrator, or government official could ever deliver. Period.

By V for Vendetta

April 27, 2006 11:55 AM | Link to this

Hahaha, Amazed. Yeah, I’m sure it would only be news in those demographics. You know why? Because 20 kids getting in a brawl would only happen in those demographics!!

Sure, my school aint perfect, but I’ll take the once-in-a-blue-moon fight over the all out WAR any day of the week. It’s why I teach where I do, and it’s nowhere NEAR that area.

By meme

April 27, 2006 11:56 AM | Link to this

IMHO, one of the reasons you don’t see many of us discuss drinking and smoking on the education blog is that we don’t see it in school. (I am in middle school) Yes, they should be educationed to not drink while underage and smoke, but is that really the job of the school or the job of the parents.

By Lauren

April 27, 2006 11:59 AM | Link to this

My mom taught High School English back in my hometown in SC. Situations like this remind me of one her famous sayings…”There is nothing on this Earth more evil than a teenaged girl”. She was a tiny woman and never hesitated to jump in to break up a fight in the hallway…but she never really discussed them. I will pass this little story on though…in Jr. High I watched a girl chase another out of the cafeteria and into the backyard of the school, pull back a low hanging tree branch and slingshot it back into the girl’s face…after that, even the guys were scared of her.

By Patti Ghezzi

April 27, 2006 12:10 PM | Link to this

There’s a prom discussion going on over at Momania. I saw this as more of a parenting issue than a school one, but there is a school angle. A school cop heard the rumor and alerted police. Should be a cautionary tale to those “cool” parents who let kids drink under their roof.

As for news value, we got this story because school officials called the police. Once they do that, the media picks up on the call over the radio. Many school incidents are handled internally, and they don’t come to light unless a reporter gets a tip from a student, parent or teacher. My guess is that this story would have more traction if it happened in an affluent community.

Regardless of location, I think this is newsworthy. Fights happen in schools, putting innocent bystanders at risk. People should know about it.

By Amazed (Independent Woman)

April 27, 2006 12:14 PM | Link to this

V for Vendetta,

Get a clue, it happens in all demographics. I have seen it with my own eyes.

I guess planning to shoot students and teachers while at school does not qualify. I guess building bombs and storing weapons on school grounds only happens in the HOOD. I guess selling prescription drugs and street drugs on school property does not qualify.

Get a CLUE, Vendetta - before one of your precious students put you on their hit list. You are living in a DREAM World, that could become a Nightmare.

By JB

April 27, 2006 12:23 PM | Link to this

To the people that say it is illegal for a teacher to touch a student, be careful with that. Unfortunatelly we do have a responsibility to break up fights. I was told once that if I dislocated a students shoulder pulling them out of a fight I was ok, but if you sat and watched and someone got hurt you could be sued for negligence. Its a knife edge we have to walk with fights. On the other hand I will never break up a fight between to girls again. Last time i tried that I wound up getting a head X-ray. Guys are no poblem to break up because the truth of it is they usually don’t really want to fight, they have just gotten backed into a corner by pride, so when someone steps in to break it up they are ok with it. Girls on the other hand just want to kill each other. The principal told me after I got hurt breaking up the aforementioned fight that I should have just let them duke it out, I asked him “So I am just supposed to sit their and let them kill each other” He didn’t have an answer to that one, because he knew I was right. However I will say this I never heard a word from the parents of the 2 girls and I can guarantee they received several bruises from me.

By alton bias

April 27, 2006 12:34 PM | Link to this

to RA it is a shame for all the hs in your county that you and so many more residents see that high school as the affluent hs of your county. furthermore, if the situation that happened at this particular school happened at any of the other schools in your county, the mentality would be “oh there go those thugs again, i glad my kid does not attend that thug school”. why does it have to be about a certain school or demographics? why can it not be about this is my/our community and i/we will do whatever it takes to keep it ____.

By luvs2teach

April 27, 2006 12:35 PM | Link to this

Amazed…you just disproved your theory that this wouldn’t have received coverage if it had different demographics! Not only did the nation hear about Columbine - there was a movie made about it!

I heard about Rockdale; I heard about Paducah. I think taxpayer has it right - it’s not the demographics; it’s the degree of interest in the incident - parents hosting a kegger? Happens frequently; it’s rather common. Eighteen GIRLS in a brawl? Not as common.

It’s not always about race. The sooner we all get over it, the better we’ll be able to tackle some of the real issues - violence, drugs, poverty, teen pregnancy, etc, etc, etc.

By Amazed (Independent Woman)

April 27, 2006 12:38 PM | Link to this

Patti, That’s my point. Other school systems are “__” Bent on protecting their school reputations. They have great PR personnel, who speaks for them, when something like this becomes an issue.

I don’t think my school would have called the police for a fight (without weapons) or injuries. I live in an excellent school district in Gwinnett. I don’t know if NOT calling the police, would be RIGHT or WRONG - but I’m sure they would have weighed the consequences of the SCHOOL being seen in BAD Light.

People look at the KEG Prom Party as a parenting issue. But, if it happened in Clayton - I can’t help but to wonder how it would have been SPUNNED by the news media.

If the KEG PROM PARTY HAD BEEN IN CLAYTON: I think it would have played out as “BAD STUDENTS, with BAD PARENTS and then it would have pointed out that this is why the Children act as they do. It would have reflected BADLY on the SCHOOL DISTRICT and the ENTIRE POPULATION.

Last, I’m sick of black/hispanic children being shown in bad light - when others have options being used to keep their dirty laundry from being aired.

By alton

April 27, 2006 12:38 PM | Link to this

jb your post was good, but that last sentence was great. i have the same sentiment when it comes to breaking up fights. brett”the Hitman”Heart funny man, funny.

By SET

April 27, 2006 01:05 PM | Link to this

There is one thing more evil than a teenaged girl. It’s a fully grown woman all over a mouthy teen aged girl.

Imagine a school run by a women who were a combination of Condoleeza Rice and Madea, now imagine those girls starting something. Imagine what would happen to those girls.

But then, I went to grade schools in the early 1960’s run by Irish and Italian nuns.

When I was in 4th grade or so there was an incident where a child was reportedly accosted by some man near the school who exposed himself. One of the Irish Nuns got an Italian Nun and they set out to find him - the others called the Police (to save the perp from the PO’ed Nuns?). The students were waiting to hear what would happen. We assumed the Irish Nun would beat him nearly to death while the Italian Nun screamed him into a heart attack then prayed over the body. The nuns tried but they couldn’t find the suspect - if he really did exist. Our parents all knew that we were safe at that school - except from the Nuns.

Those who wanted their kids to continue like this could enroll them in the Catholic High School where there were more male teachers as well as the nuns. They didn’t have students fighting or talking back much either. It was handled real fast and the parents didn’t have to do anything but pay their $40 a month.

By SET

April 27, 2006 01:10 PM | Link to this

Let’s issue tasers and cattle prods to the teachers that need it?

By mindeye

April 27, 2006 01:10 PM | Link to this

I have broken up a few girl fights and guy fights, and only once did I get hurt (kicked in the leg—just an abrasion). I do remember one where we were trying to separate two girls by getting one to let go of the other’s hair, when all of a sudden the weave separated from the hair and voila! the students came apart. Another time I had to pry a student’s hand from another’s hair one finger at a time….

By Shanon

April 27, 2006 01:12 PM | Link to this

My HS has a “3 fights and you’re out” policy. It doesn’t matter when you fight - once your freshman year, twice your senior year - 3 fights, and you are sent to the alternative school.

We have maybe one or two boy fights a year and at least six or seven girl fights. I’ve noticed that the boys are the ones who get the girls all riled up, who say the things to get the girls mad enough to fight, and then stand back and watch and hoot and holler like it is Pay-Per-View.

By RA

April 27, 2006 01:17 PM | Link to this

Alton, I’m afraid I don’t understand the point you are trying to make. I called it the affluent HS in my county because it is—its indisputable. Its in a very, very affluent area and signs of that wealth are everywhere. My kid’s school is more rural—no Jaguars or Mercedes in the pick up line—but certainly not poor either.

And for the record, (Editor’s note: I deleted some content here because I don’t want this site to be a place to post rumors that haven’t been checked into. I forwarded the info onto a reporter. Patti Ghezzi)

Lastly, I wasn’t trying to make a point about racism or classism in reporting. I was actually making a very literal comment—asking a literal question. “I wonder at the disparity.” Why did one school’s fight get reported and the other didn’t? But Patti answered that question: Morrow called the police and the press picked it up.

(I do wonder how the other got the press to drop the story once it was reported on the 4p.m. news—unless it just wasn’t considered newsworthy?)

I don’t think every fight should be reported to the press or even to parents. But a serious slashing with a razor seemed at least as serious to me as the Morrow brawl. In either case, as a parent, I would have wanted to be told the facts and not have to depend on the rumors my children would bring home.

By sue

April 27, 2006 01:36 PM | Link to this

Amazed,

A few weeks ago there was a knifing incident on a school bus in Gwinnett county. That WAS a topic for the Get Schooled Blog.

Also, people ARE saying “Bad Parents” about the keg party. The fact it was in the news disproves your theory that bad things are only reported if they happen to a certain demographic.

By Amazed (Independent Woman)

April 27, 2006 02:07 PM | Link to this

Sue,

This article is on the Fist Page of the online website of the AJC. It was broadcasted several times on the news yesterday and today (channel 2)repeatedly. The knife “incident”, as you called it, did not make it to the Main Section(first page) of the online website and a weapon was used to actually hurt someone. I watch the 5PM, 6PM and 11PM news and did not see this with the bus stabbing. It was mentioned and dismissed.

The school where this incident occurred will NOT EVEN GET A BLACK EYE FROM THE STABBING. The only thing you could say about it was that it was in GWINNETT.

We know that this school is indeed MORROW HIGH SCHOOL, IN CLAYTON COUNTY, 13 GIRLS, 4 BOYS ARRESTED - CHARGED WITH AFFRAY, etc..etc…. 10 DAY SUSPENSION and a tribunal will be held.

By luvs2teach

April 27, 2006 02:15 PM | Link to this

I just remembered the incident a few years ago about the sex parties out in Rockdale county - sex sells! and it did - it sold lots of newspapers and magazines as the nation looked at sexuality among teenagers in a new and scary way.

Violence sells, too. Eighteen is unusual, and I think we would’ve heard about it if it happened in Gwinett, Cobb, or even Forsyth.

The issue shouldn’t be the coverage or lack of - it should be that this type of incident can happen AT ALL!!!!!

Why can’t we get past the other stuff, and worry about that?

By V for Vendetta

April 27, 2006 02:21 PM | Link to this

Amazed, I’m not saying that stuff doesn’t happen in other schools, sure it does. But the scale is a bit different, don’t you think?

I absolutely agree with you about the shootings and the bombs, etc. That seems to be a more sububan (white) problem. The kids wearing trenchcoats and dressing all in black are no less scary. But dont act like you are shocked the media chose this incident to cover, 15-20 kids beating each other on school ground is absurd. It stems from that mentality, or negative aspect of black culture, that you have to protect your “rep”. Two of my own students this semester were suspended for protecting their “rep” or being “disrespected” (one of the incidents was over a CHICKEN BISCUIT!). They could give me no greater reason for the fight than that, protecting their “rep”. The media hype was appropriate, just as the backlash over Columbine was appropriate and the coverage of the kids staging a walkout over the janitor was appropriate.

There are negative aspects to all cultures and ways of life. Sometimes we see them, sometimes we don’t. Maybe we should spend less time at each others throats, and more time trying to figure out how to fix the problem.

By suw

April 27, 2006 02:23 PM | Link to this

Duluth Middle School. A sixth grader had the knife. A seventh grader was injured. Both were suspended and the police were called. Only two boys were arrested because only two boys were involved.

By michelle

April 27, 2006 02:35 PM | Link to this

RA:

sounds just like the fight at my jr high the year before i attended. this fight was of legendary status…everyone heard of it even if they were the younger groups coming up. miller grove jr high…what a great place to call home. 2 girls involved in an argument over a coke! A COKE! and one of them ended up getting slashed in the face with a knife…circa 1989.

in my days at miller grove, i saw a handful of girl fights…mostly all the weaves flying about everywhere and lots and lots of scratching. those nails are lonnnnnnng. i always thought of myself as somewhat tough, but when i saw some of those fights i was glad i wasn’t in them.

By Santa Claus dies

April 27, 2006 02:36 PM | Link to this

When only one kid stabs another no one cares. They want to hear about a gang of stupid little girls attacking each other instead. It doesnt matter where they are in the country or what they look like or how much money they have children will attack other children, they will stab each other, shoot each other, and so and so. I know when i was in high school in 1993 in a small a* town that was white as my a* and rich as hell, two boys caved anothers head in with an ax. Bad things happen and a fight with a bunch of bad children aint crap.

By EW

April 27, 2006 02:38 PM | Link to this

Ok Amazed you’re not going to like this, I do see the inconsistencies of the media coverage HOWEVER, I’m so sick and tired of seeing our children act like complete ignorant and incompetent individuals. IT is an epidemic of the worst proportion. This behavior is not just in Clayton, but everywhere including Gwinnett, I challenge African American who is not in the educational system to go sit in for ONE day, heck ONE hour and you will be embarrassed. You will be embarrassed especially at the middle and high school levels in reference to the distasteful behavior, the clothing, the hygiene, and their nasty profanity laced mouths, it is embarrassing for me an African American woman to see the complete destruction of our children.

Yesterday on the news, they had interviews with the parents; they didn’t want to be seen – WHY? Because they were embarrassed and should be. IF the parents knew that two of the girls were getting bullied why didn’t they take the initiative to talk to administrators? At least document what is happening. I get physically ill with the barrage of excuses the parents come up with, and then I have to finally resolve to myself that I can only do so much. I’m a role model; I get up everyday come to work and do my best so hopefully one day it will rub off.

A side note about Clayton County: In 1997 after I saved enough to move out after college graduation, I purchased a beautiful townhouse in Clayton. I had WONDERFUL neighbors – mostly Caucasian senior citizens, we had a wonderful community and then guess what - it was destroyed in less than two years. Why? The movement of mostly African Americans who didn’t care about the community at all. My neighbors kept saying, you better get out, were selling. They did, I tried to stick it out, however three break in’s later, and one shoot out, and one crack head pulling into my driveway knocking on my door for drugs, I knew it was time to go! Luckily I was getting married and moved into a very wonderful neighborhood in South Fulton, however I couldn’t sell my townhouse and I’m currently stuck with it. The only thing is that I got lucky to rent to a single man with no kids, who pays his rent, has a job and a big dog for protection!

Sometimes no matter how painful it is we have to admit that the we are slowly destroying ourselves and cannot be so concerned with what we feel others might do to us, because until we look into the mirror and do something - it really doesn’t matter.

By luvs2teach

April 27, 2006 02:54 PM | Link to this

Exactly what I was trying to say, V!

Also, someone’s comment reminded me of the Josh Belluardo case in Cherokee County from a couple years ago - two white kids in a dispute that started on the bus - one decided to jump the other when they got off the bus and ended up accidently killing him - that had a major write up in Esquire, a national magazine, among other publications. It was the scary randomness, not the color of anyone’s skin that caught the media attention.

In this case, race is not the issue. Violence being used as a solution is one - and it’s culturally embedded in all of us as Americans - John Wayne, cowboy-mentality, violent video games, gansta rap - ALL of it is a symptom, not a cause. We glorify it and it sells - that’s the real problem.

By EW

April 27, 2006 02:56 PM | Link to this

How would you know Michelle?

By SET

April 27, 2006 02:57 PM | Link to this

EW:

I was a sub teacher once, now I’m a lawyer. I’ve had the occasion to go into the local public schools for public speaking and career day affairs.

The black kids are allowed to go feral.

The (usually white women) teachers are not inclined to get in their faces or to fight with them. The other (ethnic) students look down on them. The white students are gone to non-black schools.

As a guest speaker I’ve walked down the asile and (nose to nose) told black kids to take their hat off, get their heads off their arms or whatever (or go to the office). But I did that as a sub also. They seem to have no one expecting anything of them and willing to challenge them head on. I’ve not had any problems dealing with this kind of thing. If there was a problem as a guest speaker I’d just walk out. The teacher just stands there (because the behavior is normal to her?).

Maybe these kids are not used to having a grown black man with an attitude in their face.

I don’t know what the answer is but I’m sure it includes breaking their self esteem. They have a toxic level of it. They need a lot of work. Good tough teachers backed by the administration might do the trick.