MOUNT VERNON — Since the beginning of time, probably, or at least since formal schooling came into being, there have been verbal altercations and physical fights between adolescents on school property.
Once a somewhat accepted aspect of teen behavior, as in “boys will be boys,” today’s society is less tolerant of such conduct, and all of the school districts in the area have policies and procedures in place to deal with fisticuffs. Most districts have seven or fewer incidences each year; penalties vary according to the severity and specific details of a particular situation, as does the involvement of law enforcement personnel.
School administrators do what they can to defuse a situation before it escalates into violence. At Centerburg, for example, other students will often let someone know trouble is brewing, and staff will intervene with counseling to help resolve the disagreement.
“We can’t accept fighting as a way to settle disputes,” said East Knox superintendent John Marschhausen. “Fighting is assault. We teach dispute resolution techniques and encourage other ways to handle issues — at least that is our goal.”
John Morgan, principal of Centerburg High School, said most of the altercations he sees consist of verbal volleys, pushing and shoving, and occasionally a few punches. Words, name calling and threats are also the most common form of confrontation at other schools, such as the Alternative Center, Clear Fork High School and Northridge High School.
Out-of-school suspensions for three or more days are the typical result if a verbal bout becomes physical. Depending on the circumstances, both fighters could be suspended. If one person is clearly the aggressor and assaulted another, the victim may be subject to reduced or no disciplinary action. Ryan Gallwitz, principal at East Knox High School, said verbal arguments could also lead to suspension.
“We have more verbal arguments that include profanity than fights,” he said. “Most of the time it is the same group of students. Penalties for verbal arguments that include profanity are one to three days out-of-school suspension.”
Although most student squabbles are handled by the school administrators, law enforcement may be called if physical injuries occur, if the fight was an assault or if an individual involved is on probation.
“Although law enforcement is not always notified by the school, parents are told they retain the right to file charges,” said Clear Fork principal Brian Brown. “[The school] will notify authorities if a weapon is involved or if the student(s) have been previously warned or had previous altercations.”
Marschhausen said East Knox will also notify law enforcement if a fight between two individuals escalates to include additional people, and it turns into a brawl.
Capt. George Hartz of the Mount Vernon Police Department and Chip McConville, assistant county prosecutor, talked about what happens when the law is called in on a situation.
Hartz said the fight is usually already broken up by the time an officer arrives on the scene, and the school staff members have the people involved separated.
“Occasionally,” Hartz said, “there will be a fight on school grounds that the school staff did not observe. Sometimes, then, the parents will bring the children up here or call us when they get home, and ask us to come out and make a report for them. With regard to fights, we basically file the paperwork so it can go to whoever it needs to go to. For instance, if juveniles are involved, we forward it to the county prosecutor’s office for review. If there is an adult involved, if a student happens to be 18 or older, then the officer can cite them for assault on the spot and take them into custody to the jail, or take it to the city prosecutor for review.”
McConville said his office determines whether there is sufficient evidence for charges against one or all participants. The charges are based on the police report and information obtained from the school officials.
“If you have a fight at school that is serious enough that law enforcement gets called,” McConville said, “generally there will be some sort of charge filed. Usually it’s a disorderly conduct charge if you have two people actively participating, fighting against each other. Sometimes it will be an assault charge, if one person lays in wait for the other and just beats him up.”
Both Hartz and McConville said the number of fights from year to year is fairly consistent, and that fights are not an everyday occurence by any means. One disturbing trend, according to McConville, is that officials are seeing more physical fights involving girls.
“They are really outnumbering fights between boys; that’s the surprising element,” he said.
Hartz said he believes fights at school are basically the same as when today’s adults were in school.
“Now, though,” he said, “kids have cell phones and E-mail and they can text message and build up to the fight. Before, it was passing notes in class, or dirty looks in the hallway. Technology, as good as it is, does have a downside.”
McConville agreed.
“We had a fight since the beginning of school that was captured on cell phone video of two girls mixing it up at Mount Vernon High School. It is a possibility that cell phones and E-mail are contributing to incidents. That’s a good way to incite somebody to anger,” he said.
