Not one, not two but ten fights broke out at a high school in Maryland in a single day this week. There’s no telling what boiled tensions so high but it seems the brawls triggered the reinstatement of a principal who may be able to keep things in order.
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School officials tell FOX 5 DC that ten fights broke out Tuesday at the Charles Herbert Flowers High School in Prince George’s County Md. Videos of the sporadic altercations captured incidents in the hallways and outside near the school buses. Students said most fights were the result of small conflicts like stepping on someone’s shoe by accident, according to the report. However, many of the fights involved some students from other neighborhoods or schools who were let in by Flowers students, leaving parents to wonder, “Where TF was security?” In the videos, school resource officers appear to intervene but seconds after the brawl already boiled over.
“What if someone ends up at the hospital or gets shot or killed? And you’re thinking, as a parent, you’re at work, your kid is safe, but next thing, you’re going to get a phone call that your child is in the hospital. It’s really concerning,” said one Flowers mother to DC News Now.
On the other hand, another parent told FOX 5 DC they believe the havoc was allowed to break out because of the absence of the school principal, Gorman Brown.
A report from ABC 7 says Brown was placed on leave in October for reasons unknown after giving 20 years of work to the high school. He was also previously placed on leave in 2019 following a physical altercation with a student in the hallway that was caught on video. Following the October suspension, students and parents came together to rally behind Brown demanding his return.
“This is all stemming from [Brown] not being in the building and the lack of leadership. The leaders that are in the building right now, apparently, aren’t doing what they’re supposed to do because there’s too many fights, too many things going on in the school building that weren’t going on when Dr. Brown was there,” said the mother via FOX 5.
Well it seems her wish was granted. Like clockwork, the day following the school-wide brawl, Brown was mysteriously reinstated as principal, according to a statement from the executive director of the Prince George’s County principal’s union.
Local police are now involved in investigating the incident and the school responded to the chaos with a message ensuring steps are being taken but not necessarily specifying what kind of steps.
“The safety of students and staff is our top priority. School administration is in communication with the families of individuals involved, and we assure you we are taking action to ensure safety in our school. In no way do these incidents reflect the values and standards of our school. We must work together to guide our students towards making better decisions and promoting a school climate that values cooperation and understanding,” read the letter to parents.
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