DAVIE, FLA. (WSVN) - Police have charged a Western High School student seen in cellphone video fighting with another student in class, but the victim’s father said her charge does not fit the crime.
Davie Police charged the teen with one count of simple battery, which is a misdemeanor. It will not require the student to be taken into custody.
“Our priority is the safety of all students within our schools. We will continue to work closely with school officials to ensure students have a safe learning environment,” said a statement from Davie Police.
But speaking with 7News on Friday, the victim’s dad, Valentin Marrero, said the charge does not reflect the severity of the teen’s actions.
“To me, it’s not enough. That’s not simple battery; she just didn’t tap [my daughter],” said Marrero. “She actually, for three minutes, or two minutes, was hitting her, until [my daughter] basically had to defend herself. That’s aggravated assault.”
The action against the student by police comes days after the fight broke out in a science classroom, Wednesday morning.
Marrero said administrators had been warned Briana was being bullied and that there was an issue.
“That same morning, the mother called, and we said, ‘Hey, listen, there’s a problem,’ [and a school official said], ‘Oh, don’t worry, we’re going to have them in the same class, but they’re going to be one in one corner, and one’s going to be in the other corner.’ Guess what: that didn’t work.”
The video shows the classmate standing over the 16-year-old victim, Briana, and getting into an argument with her. A teacher is seen attempting to defuse the situation.
Seconds later, the classmate who is standing is seen striking Briana several times, and the hits keep on coming.
“Hey, enough!” the teacher is heard saying.
The teacher is then seen standing between both students.
“Stop!” the teacher is heard saying to the student who is standing.
But the educator was unable to prevent the student who was standing from pulling Marrero’s daughter by the hair, dragging her through the floor along with her desk. At one point, chairs were thrown.
“You saw it in the video. The teacher couldn’t do nothing about it, and she just kept on putting her hands on my daughter,” said Marrero.
School officials sent an email to parents addressing the violent altercation. It reads in part, “Security personnel and School Resource Officers immediately responded to the classroom to get the disturbance under control.”
However, Marrero said, his biggest issue is that the aggressor, although currently suspended, could return to campus.
“The school’s not guaranteeing me that she’s getting expelled,” he said. “It’s up to the school board, which on Monday, I’m going to go to the school board and see when they’re going to have that meeting.”
The suspended student posted what appeared to be a selfie on social media with the caption “POV: you don’t gotta go to western no more.”
“With a smile, it’s like she’s laughing about it. I just want justice for my daughter, that’s all,” said Marrero. “On Monday, I’m going to have to go the school board and see what they’re going to do. I’m not going to stop; that girl is not coming back to the school.”
Marrero said he plans to tell the board, if the suspended student did this to her daughter, what’s to stop her from doing the same to another student?
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