Multiple fights at RSHS result in 22 suspensions

ROCKINGHAM — Multiple fights at Richmond Senior High this week resulted in suspension for 22 students.

The high school altered its dismissal procedures to prevent opportunities for future conflicts. Social media threats alluded to violence at the school, but never directly identified RSHS or any actual students at the school.

“Out of an abundance of caution, we implemented adjusted dismissal procedures to allow for an enhanced security presence and systematic release of buses followed by car riders,” said Kylie DeWitt, Executive Director of Communications for Richmond County Schools, in an email. “While details remain confidential, our priority is ensuring a productive learning environment and maintaining vigilance around any potential dangers.”

Richmond County Schools did not confirm if any of the fighting was gang-related, but stated that law enforcement is investigating the nature of the fights. The school system did not report any injuries from any of the reported fights.

Richmond County Schools stated that there were three fights the week of Nov. 27 to Dec. 1, and that brass knuckles were found outside of the school building.

In a video shared with the Daily Journal, RSHS students were spotted fighting near the bus loop Monday afternoon. It appeared that there were at least three different scuffles totaling at least 10 students in the video. Punches were thrown in all of the scuffles.

“We got n****s over here fighting and s**t,” yells an individual repeatedly while recording the fight. “They was jumping n****s left and right,” chimes in another student.

“I think it gets pretty dangerous when you have two teachers trying to control a 20-kid fight,” said a student who preferred to remain anonymous. “It looked like it. It’s so hard to track, there’s so many students outside. There was probably about 10-15 kids in the first fight that happened in the bus parking lot and they shifted over to the front yard of the school and that was way more than 15 kids.” This student shared that he arrives home about 30 minutes later now due to the change in dismissal.

In a second video shared with the Daily Journal, two students punch and spar in the Raider gymnasium for about ten seconds before a teacher intervenes. One of the students is continually punched while the teacher attempts to carry them to safety. Two other students appear to be ready to jump into the fray before a separate teacher prevents the conflict from escalating. The whole incident is over in about 25 seconds.

In July of 2023, Principal Butler shared that there was a 70% decrease in physical fights at RSHS during the 2022-2023 school year from the previous year, although he declined to share a definitive number of fights for either year. The Associated Press reported that the 2021-2022 school was one of the most violent.

“Experts who track school behavior nationwide said fights and other aggressive behavior, including shootings, appear to have increased,” stated the article. “Educators and psychologists say the pandemic contributed to the volatility in schools by causing a surge in student mental health problems, trauma at home, a lack of socializing opportunities, and a shortage of teachers and counselors that reduced adult supervision and guidance. There is no national data that tracks school fights and assaults, but education officials across the country say violence erupted more often and more fiercely.”

Roughly around this time of year in 2018, 12 RSHS students were charged with disorderly conduct following a brawl in the school courtyard.

Other videos were shared with the Daily Journal that appear to be a large skirmish that was an offshoot of the Monday bus loop fight. The anonymous student indicated that he has heard that there were at least 7-8 fights overall at the school just this week.

“They should have let us know a lot sooner,” said a parent who wished to not be identified. Her son had to inform her the reason why he was later than usual and couldn’t fulfill other after-school obligations. The parent stated that the standardized message sent to all RSHS parents a day after the incident alluded to the online threats, but did not mention the physical fights at the school. This parent wished more information would have been shared about school safety. “They’re not even listening to their students,” the parent said. “The ones that are trying to be respectful, teenagers, young adults, they’re not answering questions.”

“It’s gotten so out of hand,” shared another parent in a Facebook message to the Daily Journal. “Something has got to be done when my kids doesn’t feel safe to go to school or stay at the school, we as parents are legally required to send her too. Something is very wrong.”

“These suspensions could lead to long-term suspensions. Additionally, the school has turned further investigation over to law enforcement,” DeWitt shared in the press release. “Moving forward, Richmond Senior High will continue security improvements and work proactively with students on building a positive school community. The district fully supports the school in taking all necessary steps to prevent incidents like this from happening again.”