An investigation at Westview Middle School in St. Louis County has been conducted after a fight between a staff member and a student that took place on Monday inside a classroom. The altercation was caught on video and has found its way onto social media and news outlets.
The Riverview Gardens School District and parents of students have concerns following the fight. People in the community are concerned about what they saw and wonder what led up to a brawl like this.
“This is shocking,” Karen Cummings told Fox2. “I’m like, what led up to them having an altercation, and why wasn’t anybody in the room once they started hearing commotion.”
The video clip of the disturbing fight showed the staff member wearing a red shirt and the student throwing punches forcing them to land on the floor as they continued throwing punches at each other. The fight got worst as the two are seen pulling each other’s hair, slamming into a desk making a chair fall, which almost strikes them both.
Others in the classroom witnessed the incident unfold without involving themselves.
“Kids are supposed to go to school to learn,” Cummings said. “Not go to school and not have teachers put hands on them.”
“This was very disappointing to me to see an adult fighting that young girl,” Donta Madison said. “It’s unprofessional.
Riverview Gardens School District wrote a statement explaining to staff and parents that an investigation is underway as “officials are cooperating with local authorities regarding this matter.”
“Dear Riverview Gardens School District parents, A physical altercation occurred between an adult staff member and a student at Westview Middle School on Monday, December 5. This incident was captured in a deeply disturbing video that is circulating on news and social media.
Riverview Gardens School District does not condone violence and takes violent behavior seriously. An investigation into this incident has been initiated in accordance with district policy and procedures. We ask the RGSD community for patience as we conduct a complete and thorough investigation into this matter,” it reads.
“Riverview Gardens School District invites staff, scholars, parents, and community members to attend the Town Hall meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 6:30 p.m. at Westview Middle School to address the topic of school safety. RGSD is committed to working in partnership with community and District stakeholders to ensure a safe learning environment for students and staff. We thank you for your support and commitment to educating scholars in the Riverview Gardens community,” it reads.
The district provided counseling for any staff or students who would like to speak with a counselor following the incident.
