PA. Another School Fight In Pittsburgh – Police Called

Here’s another example of what happens when schools take tools from teachers to make schools safe.

There is internal friction that escalates and escalates, and because teachers are either not allowed or do not feel safe intervening earlier escalates to the point where there is violence and danger and police need to be called.

Congratulations PA for not considering unintended consequences of altering balance: fights, unsafe environment, school environment non-conducive to learning.

We’re not advocating for excessive force or excessive order, but a balance.  There must be enough control and order in the school so students feel it’s safe to be there and learn.

This quote from a student says it all

“They just need some more order in this school,” said Tierra Moses, a junior.

An attempt Tuesday morning to broker peace between feuding groups of female students at Sto-Rox High School led to either a big fight or big argument — depending on who was talking.

Several police departments responded, and at least one student was driven away in a police car.

The trouble began when about a dozen female students were called to Principal Melanie Kerber’s office for a mediation session, Superintendent Fran Serenka said.

Two girls were arguing and pushing each other, which escalated into an “over-the-top verbal confrontation” involving the entire group, Serenka said.

Several students who were part of the meeting said bad blood between the groups was the fallout of a stabbing over Mother’s Day weekend in Sheraden. The stabbing victim and suspect are Sto-Rox students, they said.

Serenka said she had not heard that was the reason for the meeting.

“Some of the things I heard the students arguing about did not involve that,” she said. “They tend to argue about lots of things happening in the community.”

No serious injuries were reported. No information was available about possible arrests or disciplinary actions.

“Obviously, there was a fight at the school,” McKees Rocks police Chief Robert Cifrulak said. “It’s not a big deal.”

Serenka had a different take: “There was no fighting.”

Witnesses disagreed.

“A girl swung, and then I swung back — and then we all started fighting,” said junior Dajanae Reddix, 17. “They should have had security in the mediation.”

Tierra Moses, 16, said her sister was the person stabbed in Sheraden on May 9. Wounds in her sister’s left shoulder and upper back appeared mostly healed yesterday.

“They just need some more order in this school,” said Tierra Moses, a junior.

In addition to McKees Rocks, officers from Stowe, Robinson, the Allegheny County Housing Authority and Allegheny County responded to the school.

www.pittsburghlive.com

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