Huge fight leads to 15 suspensions

A large fight broke out in front of the library on Jan. 21. Fifteen students were suspended for their actions in the after-school scuffle that caused two serious injuries and many minor ones.

According to school officials, many of the students involved were of Korean, Chinese, or Filipino descent, and some were English language learners. All students physically involved were boys.

Both CVHS video cameras and students’ phone videos helped the administration to determine what happened and identify the students involved.

“Several threads” of conflict were present before the fight, and the fight was most likely set off when a girl involved with a member of one group felt “disrespected” by the other group.

“Both sides felt victimized. Both sides had multiple opportunities to disengage,” said Assistant Principal Jesse Hansen.

Onlookers captured the event on video using their cell phones. The fight happened right after school let out, and many students were still on campus to see the conflict, prompting the news of the event to spread like wildfire throughout social media.

The videos show that the fighting began outside of the gates by the library. The initial conflict began in a condensed group before more boys got involved in the chaotic scene.

Boys first few punches were thrown on the concrete steps, and as the participants got up, it seemed as if the fight was a quick dispute. One video moves down the steps to the brick wall as a small group tried to push one boy into the surrounding bushes.

A car on Santa Maria Avenue came to a screeching halt when the fight spread onto the street.

The fighting slowed to a stop as staff members showed up to control the situation. There were no arrests.
Two boys were injured seriously enough for a CVHS nurse to encourage a hospital visit, and to the administration’s knowledge, one did.

CVHS suspended 13 of the students for five days. One boy was suspended for one day, and another for two days, being considered less culpable because they were “pulled into the fray,” Hansen said.

The suspensions took place during finals week, but the district decided to allow the students to make up their finals.

School officials encourage students with disputes to seek the school’s support in resolving them before they reach such a violent outbreak.

“My message would be that this is a school. Students have to accept that some roles they hold dear – saving face, standing up for friends physically – those things can’t come into the school arena,” said Hansen.