From March 2010:
Whether it is a vocal quarrel or an all-out punch fest, fighting occurs for different reasons. However, in most cases is rooted in the display of respect, or lack thereof, for the other person.
While fights serve as a source of amusement and hot topic of gossip for the student body, a lack of respect for peers is a serious – and seemingly increasing – problem.
“People bring the mess that happens out of school inside,” said Assistant Principal for Discipline Marcus Searcy.
Though fights sometimes regard an important or worthwhile conflict, many are just a product of unresolved instances of disrespect.
“She asked me if I bumped her in the hallway and I said no, but she just kept talking in my ear so I had to fight her,” said Nefertiti Fleming, a freshman who was recently involved in a fight.
As a result of the fight, Fleming was suspended from school for eight days, and Ataliah Jackson, the other participant, was suspended for five days. From a conflict so small came an interruption of valuable learning time and a dubious black mark on each girl’s permanent record.
“I was standing up for my rights,” said Jackson. “I asked her for an apology and asked her if she pushed me on purpose. I felt like she wasn’t respecting me.”
With a simple show of respect, such insignificant problems could easily be avoided. Even an utterance of the magic word “sorry,” could do major damage control. It is extremely important for students to respect other students because high school is one of the toughest times in most people’s lives. With the stressful homework load and lack of sleep, a simple act of disrespect could be enough to set anyone off at any time.
A common place for the origin of fights is Facebook. In such an informal and uncontrolled environment, students may be more uninhibited and more likely to say things that they normally would not in a face-to-face conversation.
“It started on Facebook,” said junior Arion Rush of her recent fight. “She just started commenting on my status and talking about my business but never confronted me directly.”
Although fighting is a problem in schools it seems that generally, things may be moving in a better direction. Students are, if slowly, becoming aware of the power that they can have over their own will and their influence over others.
“If the opportunity came again, I’d walk away from it,” Jackson said.
[Students consented to their names being printed.]