Nearly a dozen fights broke out at a Maryland High School in one day – spurring an internal investigation months after the school’s principal was put on leave.
The series of altercations happened at Charles Herbert Flowers High School Tuesday, a little over two months after Prince George’s County Public Schools announced Dr. Gorman Brown would be placed on administrative leave for unspecified reasons.
By the end of the day, school officials numbered the amount of scuffles at ten – one of which was filmed and broke out in the high school’s hallway, and is currently circulating across the internet.
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In a letter to parents, administrators said ‘a concerning series of multiple altercations’ took place, and would not say whether anyone was injured.
The assaults came hours after students still mad about Brown’s undisclosed removal complained to local reporters about his suspension, citing his large-and-in charge persona on school grounds.
They said his absence has thus left a noticeable void – one that set the stage for the ten physical conflicts that took place the very next day.
‘The safety of students and staff is our top priority,’ Assistant Principal Diedra Smalis Screws’ letter continued.
‘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.’
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‘We believe in fostering a positive and respectful school environment,’ Screws continued, ‘and such behaviors will not be tolerated nor are they reflective of the values we aim to instill in our students.’
‘Counselors are available to speak with students to help equip them with effective communication and problem-solving skills,’ she added, as staffers continue to look into what cased the bevy of brawls.
‘Additionally, we encourage open communication between parents, teachers and students to create a supportive network,’ Screws added, a day after Sydnee Assan and several of others aired their distaste over the current state of the school following Brown’s dismissal.
Assan told ABC7 News of Brown’s noticeable absence, ‘We don’t have the person we look up to most. We don’t have our principal right now.’
Fellow student Takeisha Bowens, meanwhile, pointed to how school administrators have still yet to produce a reason for Brown’s pseudo-firing.
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As of Wednesday, Brown’s exit remains unexplained.
While no reason was given publicly, sources told ABC7 it had to do with how a complaint against a teacher was handled more than a year ago.
DailyMail.com has reached out to Prince George’s County Public Schools for comment on the status of Brown’s suspension.
It’s not the first time Brown has found himself suddenly suspended since assuming the post of principal at 2012, with the principal previously being put a little over four years ago after a video showed him throw punches at a student.
Also filmed in the halls of Charles Herbert Flowers High, the clip shows Brown throwing punches at a student who was said to have assaulted a teacher minutes before, in a classroom.
The scuffle was eventually stopped by a school resource officer, who used foam pepper spray to subdue the student.
Brown – a burly, athletic man who towers over most of his students – was cleared by an investigation.
Despite his past, several students were incensed by his ouster.
That distaste was aired at a heated town hall with Superintendent Millard House II where hundreds of Flowers High students and parents demanded not only that Brown be reinstated, but answers.
‘You don’t have to share the details, but can you tell us what is the allegation? Is it misconduct? Is it…I don’t know what is it with the person? We have absolutely no idea and that is breeding mistrust,’ said Yvette Haley.
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House would only say that she can ‘assure [parents’ that the school system is committed to resolving this personnel matter, and will provide updates as we’re able to do so.’
As of Wednesday – a day after the Tuesday brawls – the matter has not been resolved, and the district has issued no updates.
A few days after the town hall, a walkout was staged during school hours, with hundreds of the more than 2,000 Flowers High students seen participating around 9am.
After the incidents Tuesday, Agnes Kallon, a mother to a Flowers student, told DCNow the school, with or without Brown, needs to get its act together.
‘[I’m] sad and emotionally distraught, because I don’t want my child to get involved or even be around that,’ Kallon said.
‘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 [says] “your child is in the hospital.” It’s really concerning.’
A student who witnessed some of the fights said: The security guards were everywhere. Like, every time there was a fight, there would be a security guard there to break it up, besides a couple of them.’
Screws on Tuesday said a school-run investigation into the fights remains ongoing. As of Wednesday, no updates have been released.
(*) www.WhitePrideHomeSchool.com
* Original Article:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12887981/amp/TEN-fights-Maryland-high-school-day.html?ito=smartnews
