ST. AUGUSTINE, FLA. (WSVN) – A group of students are facing the consequences after fists flew on school grounds in St. Augustine. One 15-year-old girl was expelled but she claims she was harassed first.
In less than 30 seconds, an argument between students led to what the district called a brutal attack. Within only minutes, the high school in St. Augustine, Florida went on a full lockdown and 14 county sheriff’s units, three assistant principals and four deans were among those who ran in to stop the fight.
One of the eight students in the fight was removed from the school.
Most disciplinary hearings are private, but the girl’s family wanted to fight her chance of being expelled and agreed to have the hearing open to the public.
The girl said three students attacked her.
“Were you being aggressive towards them?” said an attorney.
“No, they all just came up to me at once,” said the girl.
According to St. Johns County School District documents, the fight happened near the end of September. It said “Another student took the first swing and [the 15-year-old] pushed back. Within just a moment, [a student] came in swinging and punching rapidly. It took the full strength of two deputies and a dean to separate the students.”
“I’ve not seen an incident that escalated and was as violent as this one. Ever,” said SJCSD’s Superintendent Tim Forson.
The district said three school staffers were hurt trying to break up the fight.
The 15-year-old said the students who started it had harassed her multiple times in the weeks before.
“Did you report that to the Dean’s Office?” an attorney said.
“Yes, I reported it to two different deans,” the girl said.
One of the deans said he did try to handle the issue but acknowledged could have done more.
“All of those students, I want to make sure they’re in school and they’re taken care of,” said the dean.
The student’s attorney advised her not to speak with the media but her father hopes to never see this type of violence in schools.
“When you go to school, you go to learn. You’ve got to keep the BS aside,” said the girl’s father.
The 15-year-old will spend the next school year at an alternative school, meant for students who have significantly broken school rules.
The school board has voted she will have access to mental health resources, if she decides to use them.
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