After a long day of cramming knowledge into the crevices of their minds, it’s no surprise that any little thing can set students off. Witnessing the beginnings of an altercation at school is no rare occurrence. People fighting with each other is just another way of life for humans in general, but when students stop talking with their mouths and start talking with their fists, people panic.
Last Wednesday, Mac had, what seemed to be, a surge of violence going about the campus. The first fight ended in a shattered cafeteria window, with blood scattered on the floor. The second ended in a student being escorted away from the scene in handcuffs.
As students, the first instinct when a fight is noticed, is to crowd around the two fighting. Smart phones are taken out and the battle is recorded as it unfolds before gawking eyes.
For school officials, stumbling upon two students brawling over an argument is a completely different story. Instead of aspiring to be the next YouTube hit, the NEISD Police Officers only have on thing on their minds; safety.
“As a mother, I see everyone [the students] as my own kids. My first thought is always to keep everyone safe and to redirect and mediate any problems before it gets too extreme,” NEISD Police Officer Rebecca Lopez said.
The school’s police officers are not trained to think about the situation at hand. They re wired to act and hope that the situation can be contained before anyone gets seriously injured. The consequences for students isn’t worth the satisfaction of driving a fist into someone who got onto their bad side.
“State Law basically states that you can not fight in a public place. Students over the age of ten will face fines up to $500, a citation, and have to appear in Justice of the Peace Court,” NEISD Police Officer Rebecca Lopez said.
