Students suddenly scurrying from every line and table disrupts the typical chatter of the cafeteria. Yells of excitement, panic and anger echo through the room as teachers and police officers rush over. Students like junior Angelica Luckert have been the cause of physical fights on school grounds.
One survey by the National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center found that one in nine teenagers had been in a physical fight on school grounds, along with a finding that one in three had been in a physical fight in general.
“I don’t really get mad,” Luckert said. “It just kinda happens. [I fight] to prove a point.”
The same survey recorded that some of the main causes of in-school fighting might be an ongoing feud or disagreement, someone being mistreated or treated disrespectfully, or someone was in a previous altercation or had been physically attacked in some way. The spread of rumors or gossip can also create tension leading to fights. Rose Almanderez, 11, knows firsthand how powerful words can be when starting fights.
“Some people just don’t get along with others, and they’ll start talking about them,” Rose Almanderez said. “It’s basically just rumors.”
In addition to the basic physical dangers to in school fighting, legal and rule-related concerns still need to be considered. Punishments can range from detention, to suspension, up to an adult court trial for a minor in some states. Additionally, a study by the U.S. Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights claimed that in 2012, up to 92,000 students were “subject to school-related arrests.” Luckert also commented that many students who fight often are currently in Behavior Intervention Classroom.
“I think if a person wants to fight, then let them fight, and let them learn,” Luckert said. “Fighting gets you in AC and suspended for a week.”
Officer Brian McMillon believes students under the age of eighteen involved in fighting should be punished by in-school discipline, however, if a student is charged for an assault, depending on the degree of the assault, the student could possibly go to jail.
There are also theories that in school fighting can take a mental toll. Recent findings by the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health claim that fighting may be responsible for lowered IQ’s among teenagers. The findings included that teenagers who claimed to have been in a physical fight, suffered physical injuries from a fight, or fell victim to general in school violence tested almost two IQ points lower than the average of teenagers who had not been involved in physical violence or fighting.
“I don’t like to hurt people. For some people, it is [the answer],” Luckert said. “I don’t think [fighting] is ever something that could be solved.”
