The principal of a Texas junior high school has apologized for “severely inappropriate behavior” after a brutal fight on school grounds Friday morning was captured on video that proceeded to go viral.
The educator did not address why two adults, presumably teachers, made half-hearted attempts to break up the fight, with one of them holding onto his Thermos as he approached the aggressor.
Witnesses say roughly 100 students at Hardwood Junior High, located about 24 miles west of Texas, watched as the young teen looked to them for help. They responded with whooping noises, with many recording the fight as the attacker sat on the victim’s chest and punched him repeatedly in the face and the back of his head.
At one point, the victim attempts to stand up but is tackled by the offending student onto the concrete of the school’s courtyard.
Finally, a school resource officer intervenes, pulling the attacker off the other student after he stomped the classmate’s head, knocking him unconscious. The school nurse was on hand to treat the injured boy, who was lying flat on the ground, his pants pulled down to his knees. The extent of his injuries is unknown.
The boy throwing the punches has been “detained” and was referred to the Tarrant County Juvenile Justice Center, Bedford Police Chief Bobby LaPenna told TMZ.
The county’s district attorney is reviewing the incident and will decide whether criminal charges are necessary, the chief said.
In a letter to parents, the principal wrote, “The incident is being taken very seriously, including investigation of the complete sequence of events using video and interviews, surrounding context, actions of additional students and staff, and district processes related to student fights.”
He continued, “anyone involved in fighting will receive consequences line with the Student Code of Conduct, and can also experience consequences through the legal system as determined by law enforcement.”
The principal said he is focused on making sure this doesn’t happen again.
“We are also working to ensure we have processes, aligned training, and tools in place to help prevent future incidents,” he concluded.
On social media, conversation about the fight quickly turned to the two teachers in the video who feebly tried to intervene as the attack progressed.
“Teachers don’t have a responsibility to break up fights and are actually discouraged from doing so,” wrote one commenter, posting on X. “This is on school administration for not ensuring safety and security and adequate supervision.”
But some weren’t buying that rationale.
“Cowardice, however you choose to justify it, is still cowardice,” one viewer responded.
Most who commented agreed the teachers should face consequences for not separating the boys.
“Both adults should be fired,” one man offered. “They have a duty to protect students. The kid doing the assault needs an attempted murder charge. Once we start actually doing something about these assaults, they will decline and then stop. Time to make examples.”
