essay on a fight in school

What are the Reasons for School Fights?

Why do school fights occur, what are some common reasons for school fights, how can we avoid school fights.

Nearly everyone has either witnessed or has been directly involved in a school fight. Suddenly the hallway is abuzz with excitement, students start to shuffle for a good spot to view the action, and someone yells out the announcement, "fight!"

Fighting is an unfortunate reality in many schools, either public schools or private schools. Although rates of school violence are on the rise, fighting is hardly a new development. For centuries, adolescents have gotten into altercations that resulted in bumps, bruises and a very angry principal. Although school fights are common, some still wonder why they occur. Every fight is different, but some common causes do exist.

Many school fights occur in high school with high school student altercations with other high schoolers, but some school fights have also occurred in middle school with middle school altercations. It is rare to see school fights occurring in elementary school, but it is not unheard of. Fights between students can be verbal or physical fights, and they can occur during the school day on school property or after-school.

In some cases, law enforcement can be involved as there are certain risk factors when dealing with school fights, and they can help with school safety overall. School staff may also get involved to break up fights, but in some cases, they may also make their way into a fight if a student decides to turn on them.

• ​ Differing Values ​

According to a recent Cato Institute study (See References 1), many school fights are caused by the forced mixing of students who come from different backgrounds and hold disparate core values. This study argues that the geographic zoning policies of schools contribute to violence, and in order to reduce the violence students should be allowed more choice in selecting their school.

• ​ Lack of Respect ​

School violence can be the result of a simple lack of respect for others. There has been a push in recent years to integrate value based lessons into the school curriculum. Many schools currently teach character education courses in an attempt to provide students who lack good role models with a basic knowledge of how they should interact with their peers and teachers.

• ​ Reputation Maintenance ​

Students often fight as a means of maintaining their reputations in their schools. Reputation is often seen as a precious commodity. If someone crosses a student who is concerned about his or her reputation, that student may feel forced to retaliate or risk being called weak and having his or her reputation damaged. This kind of reaction can stem from mental health issues surrounding appearance or involvement.

• ​ Pop Culture Influence ​

By the time they get to middle and high school, most students can distinguish reality from TV and movies, but in lower grades, this distinction is commonly a bit more fuzzy. Some young students engage in fights merely because they are replicating what they saw on TV or in a film. These students are simply trying to copy the tough guys or gals they so adore, which is in turn exposing them to youth violence in some cases.

Dr. Adele M. Brodkin reported on this phenomenon in a recent article in "Early Childhood Today." She called on educators and parents to have frank discussions with students regarding pop culture influences, in an effort to reduce the number of incidents of violence that result from this type of mimicry. Aggressive behavior is also said to stem from pop culture influences. Cyberbullying is also a major factor in youth behaviors in pop culture as the concept becomes more known in recent times.

Problem-solving tactics should be taught to those working in schools as school staff and students attending schools to prevent school fights from occurring. Student fighting can be avoided with proper social skills and anger management as students can express their anger or feelings in other ways, without getting physical or acting physically as self-defense.

Violence prevention training is also essential for school staff to learn and enforce when these incidents occur. Conflict resolution lessons could be essential for this prevention as well. Risk behavior could also be monitored by school staff to prevent young people from starting school fights on school grounds.

Related Articles

Consequences of School Violence

Positive Effects of the Zero Tolerance Policy Used in Schools

Ways to Get Expelled From School

Violence in Private vs. Public High Schools

Behavior Interventions for Middle School Students in the Classroom

What Are the Problems & Solutions of Bullying in School?

Strategies for Promoting Positive Behaviors in High School

What Is School Spirit?

• Cato.org: Why We Fight

Erin Schreiner is a freelance writer and teacher who holds a bachelor's degree from Bowling Green State University. She has been actively freelancing since 2008. Schreiner previously worked for a London-based freelance firm. Her work appears on eHow, Trails.com and RedEnvelope. She currently teaches writing to middle school students in Ohio and works on her writing craft regularly.

How to Prevent School Violence Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Introduction

Selected solutions to school violence.

Today no special mechanism is standard for preventing school violence due to diversity in social status, economical status, and location. Schools implement various measures to prevent violence such as warning signals, checklists and, policies for zero tolerance but the dangers still persists, because some of these measures end up exacerbating the issue.

Hypothetically, the school-based violence has a close link to poverty, which is the key factor for discontent and frustration and consequently the anger especially in developing nation. Other cases have a close link to the experiences and development. The domestic violence also has a close link to behavioural and learning problems.

During development, a child may feel the need for retaliation. Other possible sources may include discrimination, the societal background, the common school drug related problems, cultural imagery on the television and audio shows, materialism, competitiveness and lack of identity.

A good example of the school violence is the April 16, 2007 tragedy at Virginia Tech University, which remains a big sear for the hearts of those who were directly involved as well as those affected such as the victims’ families or friends. On that terrible day, the struggling loss of lives due to one disturbed young man make many people ask what made Cho to act in a beastly manner like he did, and likewise, what can be done to prevent such kind of massacre form happening again.

According to Hauser of “The New York Times” newspaper on the day of the tragedy, thirty-three people were involved in a mass murder at the university after one of the student: Cho went round the bend to a shooting rampage, in a close link to the reports made by federal law enforcement officials at the site. Many of the victims were students shot in classrooms and dorms.

In a close link to Feldman (2009), we can only stop inquiring ways of preventing such scenarios or why they occur if we realize that all the requirements for prevention are within reach. There is need for commitment over the facts and full transparency concerning logical understanding.

The universities need to be on the forefront in ensuring they are well equipped with required facilities to handle health related matters. This may include the student’s counselling centres, mental health programs or support groups, procedures for making referrals and, emergency psychiatric services to encourage students to seek and share feelings before they are out of hand.

There is an urgent need for the educators and parents to have the initiatives of pursuing this issue through a coordinated procedure. It is possible to implement the violence prevention programs based on the specific school setups through solicited funds and, the government or sponsors grants.

Secondly, it is promising to utilize the intelligent and well-planned campaigns to stop the violence issue and thus the need for proper and critical considerations over such crusades. This is an awareness program to fight violence especially among the teenagers.

Teachers need to consider the strategy of enhancing the responsibility aspects in the minds of the learners in the effort of making them understand the importance of stopping the violence at all costs. The learners should know that the act is illegal and immoral. Today the youth have tightly embraced the extremely dynamic and advancing technology.

This means that the “websites, television and radio programs, public service announcements are some vital aspects the campaigns against violence in schools ought to focus” (Prinstein and Dodge, 2008).

The government/sponsors also need to tighten use of technology as a teaching aid through ample sponsorship since the youth are today highly conversant with technology. Learning programs or curriculums should avail access to information on bullying prevention and support implementation of activities that support unity at school or community level.

Violence in schools is an act that erodes the learning atmosphere by impairing the teaching and learning processes. The act is very tactless to individual inner being or conscious and thus often lead to short-term and long-term consequences such as suicide and homicide as experienced at the Virginia Tech a couple of years back. For this reason, it is the responsibility of every person to work aggressively to reduce the wicked act.

According to Webb and Terr (2007), healthy and productive education process cannot occur in an environment full of fear. All students have a right to a safe learning environment without the worry of attendance for the fear of unfriendly treatments or worst still abusive acts.

The educators cannot fully depend on the government to solve all the cases or provide full protection. It would therefore be wise for everyone in the society to take initiative and commit to the issue. This can highly reduce or better still demise of the offense and the schools will thus be safe and enjoyable for everyone.

Feldman, R.S. (2009) Discovering the Life Span . (First Ed). Pearson/Prentice Hall Publishers.

Hauser, Christine. (2007). Virginia Tech Shooting . The New York Times. Web.

Prinstein M and Dodge K, (2008), Understanding Peer Influence in Children and Adolescents. Guilford Press publishers, P. 239.

Webb N and Terr L, (2007), Play Therapy with Children in Crisis: Individual, Group, and Family Treatment. Guilford Press publishers, P. 251.

• Literature Study on Rising Incidence of Cyber Pedophilia
• Fighting Domestic Violence in Pocatello, Idaho
• Media Attention to the Virginia Tech Shooting
• Applied Nutrition for Health, Exercise and Sports Performance
• Violence in United States High Schools
• Where Rampages Begin: The Issue with the School Shootings
• Innovation in History: How Guns Changed the World
• What are the Stages of Group Development?
• Self-Reliance: The Communal Past as a Model for the Future
• Public Speaking in a Democracy
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2018, May 10). How to Prevent School Violence. https://ivypanda.com/essays/preventing-school-violence/

"How to Prevent School Violence." IvyPanda , 10 May 2018, ivypanda.com/essays/preventing-school-violence/.

IvyPanda . (2018) 'How to Prevent School Violence'. 10 May.

IvyPanda . 2018. "How to Prevent School Violence." May 10, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/preventing-school-violence/.

1. IvyPanda . "How to Prevent School Violence." May 10, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/preventing-school-violence/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "How to Prevent School Violence." May 10, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/preventing-school-violence/.

We’re Sorry!

This website is unavailable in your location. 

It appears you are attempting to access this website from a country outside of the United States, therefore access cannot be granted at this time.

Top of page

Collection Civil Rights History Project

School segregation and integration.

The massive effort to desegregate public schools across the United States was a major goal of the Civil Rights Movement. Since the 1930s, lawyers from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) had strategized to bring local lawsuits to court, arguing that separate was not equal and that every child, regardless of race, deserved a first-class education. These lawsuits were combined into the landmark Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court case that outlawed segregation in schools in 1954. But the vast majority of segregated schools were not integrated until many years later. Many interviewees of the Civil Rights History Project recount a long, painful struggle that scarred many students, teachers, and parents.

Three years before Brown v. Board in November 1951, students in a civics class at the segregated black Adkin High School in Kinston, North Carolina, discussed what features an ideal school should have for a class assignment. When they realized that the local white high school indeed had everything they had imagined, the seeds were planted for a student-led protest. Without the assistance from any adults, these students confronted the local school board about the blatant inequality of local schools. When the board ignored their request for more funding, the students met by themselves to plan what to do next. In a group interview with these former students , John Dudley remembers, “So, that week, leading to Monday, we strategized. And we had everybody on board, 720 students. We told them not to tell your parents or your teacher what’s going on. And do you believe to this day, 2013, nobody has ever told me that an adult knew what was going on. Kids.” They decided on a coded phrase that was read during morning announcements. Every student in the school walked out, picked up placards that had been made in advance, and marched downtown to protest. The students refused to go back to school for a week, and eighteen months later, Adkin High School was renovated and given a brand-new gymnasium. It would remain segregated until 1970, however.

Desegregation was not always a battle in every community in the South. Lawrence Guyot , who later became a leader in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, grew up in Pass Christian, a city on the Mississippi Gulf Coast that was influenced by the strong labor unions in the shipyard industry and the Catholic Church. He explains how the Catholic schools were desegregated there: “The Catholic Church in 1957 or '58 made a decision that they were going to desegregate the schools.  They did it this way.  The announcement was we have two programs.  We have excommunication and we have integration.  Make your choice by Friday.  Now there was violence going on in Louisiana.  Nothing happened on the Gulf Coast.  I learned firsthand that institutions can really have an impact on social policy.” 

In an interview about his mother, civil rights activist Gayle Jenkins, Willie “Chuck” Jenkins describes how she demanded that he would be the plaintiff in a school desegregation suit, Jenkins v. Bogalusa School Board in Louisiana. He became the first African American student to attend the white Bogalusa Junior High School in 1967 and remembers how he had one foot in each world, but was increasingly alienated from both: “And I caught a lot of slack, like, from the black community, because they used to say, ‘Oh, you think you’re something because you’re going to the white school.’  They didn’t know I was catching holy hell at the white school.  I had no friends, you know.  So, it was just always a conflict.” But in the end, he thinks it was worth it. He states, “But it was hard, but you know what?  If I had it to do all over again, I would do it exactly the same way.  Because it was a cause that was well worth the outcome, even though I feel like people in Bogalusa are still not as accepting as they could be.” The high school continued to have a separate white prom and a black prom until very recently. But his mother, Gayle Jenkins, would serve on the Bogalusa School Board for twenty-seven years.

Julia Matilda Burns describes her experiences as a teacher, parent, and school board member in Holmes County, Mississippi. Her husband was an active civil rights worker and her job as a teacher was threatened when she associated with members of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). When her son and other African American children attempted to integrate a school in Tchula in 1965, it was burned down twice. The local white community started their own private white academy, a common plan to evade integration across the South. She continued to teach in a public school and discusses the difficulties rural African American children and young adults face in getting an equal education today.

While Brown v. Board of Education and many other legal cases broke down the official barriers for African Americans to gain an equal education, achieving this ideal has never been easy or simple. The debate continues today among policy makers, educators, and parents about how to close the achievement gap between minority and white children. Ruby Sales , a former Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) member who later became the founder and director of the nonprofit organization Spirt House, points out that few people look to the past for answers to our current problems in education: “…We have been dealing with the counter-culture of education, and what might we learn from that counter-culture during segregation that would enable black students not to be victims in public schools today. And one of the things that disturbed me so tremendously – and this is about narrative again: these southern black teachers created outstanding students and leaders. And many of them still exist. And no one has bothered to ask them, “How did you do it? What might we learn from you? What were your strategies? How did you deal with complicated situations? How did you invigorate young people to believe that they could make a difference even when the white world said that they couldn’t?”

• Misinformation & Disinformation

Local Government Is Key to the Fight Against Disinformation

S tate governments, it is sometimes said, are the laboratories of democracy. If so, the rest of the world should make use of the new discoveries that are occurring there in the fight against election disinformation. 

2024 is a pivotal year for democracies around the globe with more than half the world’s population going to the polls. However, the unprecedented threat of election-related disinformation looms large, particularly in the United States.

Authoritarian countries like Russia, China, and Iran are leading disinformation campaigns , enhanced by artificial intelligence, to push narratives that undermine democratic governance, exacerbate political divisions, and support strongman and populist leaders. It is also increasingly apparent that foreign actors are poised to ramp up influence operations as Americans head to the polls. While it’s not the only threat in the disinformation landscape, they are certainly ones to be taken seriously , especially as the U.S. prepares for a polarized and divisive presidential election.

With Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump locked in a competitive race for the White House, the contest to determine who will secure the presidency is likely be decided by a thin margin of voters in a handful of states . And any widespread disinformation campaign targeting battleground states has the potential to tip the scales or delegitimize election results. Down-ballot races are also at risk.

Read more: AI Isn’t Our Election Safety Problem, Disinformation Is

This comes at a time when the U.S. has also been experiencing a steady decline in local news sources since 2005. Instead, social media has become a crucial aspect of news consumption, and one that amplifies misinformation , leading to increased division , polarization on partisan grounds, and a loss of confidence in our institutions.

The terrain is becoming more treacherous as technology rapidly advances. From AI-generated robocalls that impersonated President Biden to discourage votes in New Hampshire to a manipulated campaign ad shared by Elon Musk on X which used AI to mimic Vice-President Harris.

So, what should we do to protect ourselves from falling victim to disinformation?

The most robust solutions may lie in the hands of states and local governments.

Traditionally, federal agencies take the lead, given their national security mandates, on countering foreign disinformation threats. However, states should not cede the battle on disinformation to federal agencies, but instead take a central role creating a great opportunity to inoculate individuals from falling victim to mistruths and conspiracy theories set loose online.

States and municipalities can complement and bolster national efforts to combat the spread of disinformation through the following measures:

Invest in local media

A number of state governments are taking measures to support local news outlets. Local news is essential to combatting disinformation because in the absence of community centered journalism, many seek information from social media, which has become a well-known vector for the spread of false claims and conspiracy theories. States such as New York have used tax incentives while others, like California , New Mexico , and Washington have established publicly funded fellowship programs for young and aspiring journalists. Illinois is one of the first states in the nation to mandate state agency spend on local news advertisement . While these are a great start, local news outlets are woefully underprepared for an information ecosystem where disinformation can so easily stifle and muddle the truth.

States should prioritize resources for local news organizations so that they can build the capacity to pre-bunk and de-bunk information that floods the online environment, especially when it comes to elections. Debunking claims takes a significant amount of time and resources, one even nationally syndicated news outlets have difficulty in keeping up with.

States can compensate for the stagnating momentum in the global fact-checking ecosystem. By building the capacity for de-bunking at the local level, this can begin to build a network of professionalized journalists dedicated to inundating their communities from being overwhelmed with fake news.

News literacy

Several states have implemented media literacy programs at the middle and high school levels. California , Delaware , and New Jersey have recently passed laws requiring K-12 students to learn media literacy skills— such as recognizing fake news and thinking critically about information they encounter online.

These steps can help prepare younger generations for a media environment where disinformation is constant. However, the same resources need to be made available to adults too, particularly those susceptible to fake news . As technology advances, even those with higher media literacy may even have difficulty distinguishing fact from fiction .

Election security response units

States should develop rapid response election security units within the state executive branch, that work with counties, in coordination with federal authorities, to monitor and detect state-sponsored disinformation campaigns leading up to the election, particularly those which violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. This strategy should include the creation of units that counter misinformation campaigns with facts . States could rely on the example set by New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic, for instance. The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene established a dedicated Misinformation Response Unit to focus on monitoring misinformation, rapidly responding by disseminating accurate information related to vaccine safety.

With the accelerated spread of disinformation supercharged by sophisticated artificial intelligence tools, the federal government is simply far too ill-equipped to tackle this challenge alone. Politics aside, it should be in every leader’s interest at the state and local level to ensure that our democratic process is decided by an informed electorate—free from the influence of foreign powers who wish us harm or to sow chaos and division. Nationwide efforts adopted by states can reduce the spread of misinformation and strengthen our democracy for the better

States have an opportunity to experiment with solutions. We should encourage them to use it.

More Must-Reads from TIME

• How Kamala Harris Knocked Donald Trump Off Course
• Inside the Rise of Bitcoin-Powered Pools and Bathhouses
• What Makes a Friendship Last Forever?
• 33 True Crime Documentaries That Shaped the Genre
• Long COVID Looks Different in Kids
• Your Questions About Early Voting , Answered
• Column: Your Cynicism Isn’t Helping Anybody
• The 100 Most Influential People in AI 2024

Contact us at [email protected]

Omaha school shooting began with a fight between 2 boys, court documents say

Court documents say the shooting that critically injured a 15-year-old at an Omaha high school began with a physical fight between two boys before one used a gun hidden inside his hoodie to shoot the other in the stomach

OMAHA, Neb. -- The shooting that critically injured a 15-year-old at an Omaha high school Tuesday began with a physical fight between two boys before one used a gun hidden inside his hoodie to shoot the other in the stomach, according to court documents.

The 14-year-old suspect appeared in court Wednesday afternoon and was charged as an adult with first-degree felony assault, two weapons charges and tampering with evidence. He was arrested a few blocks away from Omaha's Northwest High School about half an hour after the shooting was reported just after midday.

Court documents say a security camera at the school showed the victim approach the suspect before the fight began. The suspect had his right hand inside the pocket of his hooded sweatshirt before firing once and the victim dropped to the ground. The video showed the suspect holding the gun before putting it back in his pocket and leaving.

Police recovered the gun they believe was used in the shooting Tuesday evening after searching the neighborhood around the high school.

The victim of the shooting remained in stable condition Wednesday at an Omaha hospital, but Officer Michael Pecha said it wasn’t immediately clear whether his injuries could still be life-threatening because he faces additional surgeries.

The suspect's attorney, Douglas County Assistant Public Defender Benjamin Westhoff, said the teen's mother told police that he was a target of “continued and excessive bullying” at school and she was in the process of trying to move him to a different school.

“This isn’t a random act,” Westhoff said of the shooting, according to the Omaha World-Herald. “I believe this 14-year-old (was) dealing with some serious schooling issues leading up to the alleged acts.”

Officials at the public defender's office didn't immediately respond to a message from The Associated Press Wednesday afternoon.

Bond was set at $275,000, and if his family was able to post bond the suspect would be required to wear a GPS monitor. He is scheduled to return to court for a preliminary hearing on Oct. 16.

The shooting sent students running at Northwest High School before officials locked the school down. Once police secured the building, students were gradually released to their families classroom by classroom Tuesday afternoon. Classes at the school were canceled on Wednesday.

The Omaha Police Department said several threats to other area schools were made on social media after Tuesday’s shooting. Investigators don’t believe any of those threats were credible, but based on what police uncovered a 14-year-old student received a long-term suspension, an 11-year-old was arrested and a 13-year-old was ticketed for their role in sending threats. Additional arrests are expected.

The Omaha shooting followed last week's school shooting in Georgia that killed two teachers and two students in the town of Winder. Another teacher and eight more students were wounded.

The attack was among dozens of school shootings across the U.S. in recent years, including especially deadly ones in Newtown, Connecticut ; Parkland, Florida ; and Uvalde, Texas .

Popular Reads

DA who oversaw abandoned prosecution of Colorado man in wife's death should be disbarred, panel says

• Sep 11, 3:05 PM

North Carolina lawmakers approve more voucher funds and order sheriffs to aid immigration agents

• Sep 11, 4:12 PM

Remains found in car in Illinois river identified as 2 men who vanished in 1976, coroner says

• Sep 11, 2:41 PM

Tennessee senator and ambassador to China Jim Sasser has died

• Sep 11, 3:19 PM

Jon Bon Jovi helps talk woman down from ledge on Nashville bridge

• Sep 11, 8:27 PM

ABC News Live

24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events

• Election 2024
• Entertainment
• Newsletters
• Photography
• AP Buyline Personal Finance
• AP Buyline Shopping
• Press Releases
• Israel-Hamas War
• Russia-Ukraine War
• Global elections
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East
• Election results
• Google trends
• AP & Elections
• U.S. Open Tennis
• Paralympic Games
• College football
• Auto Racing
• Movie reviews
• Book reviews
• Financial Markets
• Business Highlights
• Financial wellness
• Artificial Intelligence
• Social Media

Omaha school shooting began with a fight between 2 boys, court documents say

Artemis Else, right, hugs Angie Caswell as they wait outside Northwest high school after a shooting was reported Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in Omaha, Neb. (Megan Nielsen/Omaha World-Herald via AP)

Family members of students at Northwest high school gather and wait for students to be released from the school after a shooting was reported Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in Omaha, Neb. (Megan Nielsen/Omaha World-Herald via AP)

• Copy Link copied

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The shooting that critically injured a 15-year-old at an Omaha high school Tuesday began with a physical fight between two boys before one used a gun hidden inside his hoodie to shoot the other in the stomach, according to court documents.

The 14-year-old suspect appeared in court Wednesday afternoon and was charged as an adult with first-degree felony assault, two weapons charges and tampering with evidence. He was arrested a few blocks away from Omaha’s Northwest High School about half an hour after the shooting was reported just after midday.

Court documents say a security camera at the school showed the victim approach the suspect before the fight began. The suspect had his right hand inside the pocket of his hooded sweatshirt before firing once and the victim dropped to the ground. The video showed the suspect holding the gun before putting it back in his pocket and leaving.

Police recovered the gun they believe was used in the shooting Tuesday evening after searching the neighborhood around the high school.

The victim of the shooting remained in stable condition Wednesday at an Omaha hospital, but Officer Michael Pecha said it wasn’t immediately clear whether his injuries could still be life-threatening because he faces additional surgeries.

The suspect’s attorney, Douglas County Assistant Public Defender Benjamin Westhoff, said the teen’s mother told police that he was a target of “continued and excessive bullying” at school and she was in the process of trying to move him to a different school.

“This isn’t a random act,” Westhoff said of the shooting, according to the Omaha World-Herald. “I believe this 14-year-old (was) dealing with some serious schooling issues leading up to the alleged acts.”

Officials at the public defender’s office didn’t immediately respond to a message from The Associated Press Wednesday afternoon.

Bond was set at $275,000, and if his family was able to post bond the suspect would be required to wear a GPS monitor. He is scheduled to return to court for a preliminary hearing on Oct. 16.

The shooting sent students running at Northwest High School before officials locked the school down. Once police secured the building, students were gradually released to their families classroom by classroom Tuesday afternoon. Classes at the school were canceled on Wednesday.

The Omaha Police Department said several threats to other area schools were made on social media after Tuesday’s shooting. Investigators don’t believe any of those threats were credible, but based on what police uncovered a 14-year-old student received a long-term suspension, an 11-year-old was arrested and a 13-year-old was ticketed for their role in sending threats. Additional arrests are expected.

The Omaha shooting followed last week’s school shooting in Georgia that killed two teachers and two students in the town of Winder. Another teacher and eight more students were wounded.

The attack was among dozens of school shootings across the U.S. in recent years, including especially deadly ones in Newtown, Connecticut ; Parkland, Florida ; and Uvalde, Texas .

Physical fight between students led to shooting at Omaha school, court documents say

OMAHA, Neb. ( WOWT /Gray News) - Court documents released Wednesday are revealing more details about what led to a shooting that happened at a high school in Nebraska.

Officials say a 14-year-old is accused of shooting another student in Omaha Northwest High School on Tuesday. He has been charged, as an adult, with first-degree assault, use of a gun to commit a felony, and possession of a firearm on school grounds.

The suspect was booked into the Douglas County Youth Center with bond set at $275,000. The teen’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 16.

Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine told WOWT that while there are still a lot of details left to sort out in the investigation, the severity of the crime warrants charging the teen as an adult.

The teen suspect appeared before a judge on Wednesday with a public defender.

The public defender said what happened on Tuesday wasn’t a random act. He said the suspect had been severely bullied to the point that his mother considered moving him to another school.

The public defender said the school was notified of the bullying and had granted the suspect, whom he said had no unlawful missing or absence school reports, a school pass to leave the premises five minutes before the school day ended for his safety.

According to court documents, the suspect admitted to shooting the 15-year-old victim once. Officers found him wounded in the hallway on the main level of the school, the documents state. He had been shot in the torso. The boy remains hospitalized in stable condition, according to a Wednesday update from Omaha police.

The affidavit says that the school’s security camera footage showed the two boys engaged in a physical fight near a classroom after the victim approached the suspect.

Omaha Public Schools confirmed that the incident began as an altercation between the two students, noting that it happened on the north side of the school.

According to the court documents, the suspect had his right hand inside his hoodie pocket, then shot a concealed firearm through the sweatshirt, hitting the victim, who then fell to the ground. But both boys ran — in opposite directions — from the scene.

The gun was seen on the security footage, according to the documents; the suspect had it in his right hand before putting it back in his pocket and fleeing from the scene.

Hours later, police would ask for the public’s help locating a discarded firearm before an update Tuesday night said they believed they had found the weapon used in the shooting.

All Wednesday classes and activities at the school were canceled. Administrators will instead focus on the staff during that time, with counselors being made available.

When students return Thursday, they will be on modified schedules to allow them to have time to meet with counselors and obtain other resources they may need.

In the wake of the shooting, security has become a renewed focal point for Omaha Public Schools.

Superintendent Matthew Ray told WOWT that school security is a constant discussion with a lot of moving parts.

“It’s not just one thing,” Ray said.

All the schools in the district have new cameras and locks, and every high school and middle school has a school resource officer stationed in the building.

School district officials said in an update on Wednesday afternoon that anytime incidents like this happen, the district reviews its security measures. They said that metal detectors will be one such measure under discussion.

Reporter Johan Marin and Digital Director Gina Dvorak contributed to this story.

Copyright 2024 WOWT via Gray Local Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

FBI, Cleveland County deputies execute search warrant

Car towed from Cleveland County property amid FBI search

Major Charlotte highways, roads will be impacted for hours amid Harris visit: What to expect

FBI search of Cleveland County home, nearby property continues

Shooting reported at Nebraska high school days after Georgia school shooting

11, 12-year-olds arrested for threatening Charlotte-area schools, police say

Missing 15-year-old found shot to death in south Charlotte, police say

Campbell Soup plans to change its name after 155 years

Latest news.

Tech billionaire kicks off first private spacewalk from SpaceX capsule

Spacewalking is the new domain of the rich as billionaire attempts first private spacewalk

Officials: Person hit, killed by freight train in south Charlotte

‘He saved people’: Customer shot, killed suspected robber at Gaston County store

Woman, 22, drowns trying to save girlfriend from rip current while on vacation

Family mourns woman, 22, who drowned trying to save her girlfriend

Republicans put up ‘Eat Less Kittens’ billboards that some call racist

Arizona GOP's 'Eat Less Kittens' billboards play off rumors about immigrants eating pets

• Paralympics
• TV & Film
• Say Maaate to a Mate
• First Impressions - The Game
• Daily Ladness
• Citizen Reef

To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories , we're happy to send you some reminders

Click ' OK ' then ' Allow ' to enable notifications

Student's 19-word Fight Club essay given perfect grade by teacher

She's absolutely mastered this.

Jess Battison

Ugh, essays. Apart from the odd one or two people who seem to enjoy writing out words and words of work on a weeknight, essays fill the majority of us with dread.

Anyone who has had to sit and churn out one for school or university will know the pain of attempting to get every key bit of information into as few hundred words as possible.

Or even worse, having to waffle on for thousands of words about something.

Somehow students find the power to find ten different ways of saying the same thing in order to rack up that sacred word count.

But one pretty ballsy student decided to take a different approach for her essay about the legendary film, Fight Club .

She decided to write about the 1999 cult hit with Edward Norton and Brad Pitt , in which their characters decided to form a masochistic underground fight club.

And somehow, the student managed to do it in just 19 words - despite how much you might have to say about the film.

But what’s more incredible is that she managed to bag a 100/100 from her teacher for the ‘essay’.

Sharing this big win on X, Allison Garrett wrote: "The assignment description for essay 5 was to write a review of a movie that we had seen. The opportunity arose, and I took my chances."

So, what ground-breaking analysis did she demonstrate to earn such rave reviews?

Quoting the film's most iconic line, she opened her essay with: "The first rule of fight club is: you do not talk about fight club."

Adding at the bottom of the page: "That's it, that's my essay."

I mean, round of applause for the bravery there.

But she wasn't done just yet.

In the comment section, she wrote: "I cannot say that I am sorry because that would be a lie. Am I Proud? Yes."

And to prove that this was no joke, Allison also posted a screenshot of the comments made by her teacher after reading her 'essay'.

Now, most of us would be terrified after writing an essay like this, waiting to receive the mother of all bollockings from our teacher, but Allison's professor was just impressed - though they warned about trying the same thing with another member of staff.

They wrote on the comments section of the submission page: "I struggled over this grade for a long time. I finally decided you get a grade for a laugh and how relevant your review is for this particular movie.

"Let me warn you: do NOT try this kind of thing with other professors; they may not have my sense of humor."

Since it was shared, Allison's post gained a lot of attention online.

One person wrote: "I was always told life is about taking risks... I was scared to say the least."

Allison later added: "I got a 100 on the paper and passed the class with an A."

Topics:  Education , TV and Film , Twitter

Jess is an Entertainment Journalist with a love of all things pop culture. Her main interests include keeping up with the Twitter girlies, waiting for a new series of The Traitors and losing her voice at a Beyoncé concert. She graduated with a first in Journalism from City, University of London in 2021 and has previously worked at MyLondon.

@ jessbattison_

• Bloke keeps own ear in pickle jar after it was bitten off in brutal UK ‘fight club’
• Adults mortified after rewatching Cars and noticing extremely rude scene they missed as children
• New film with nearly perfect Rotten Tomatoes score aims to ‘re-educate’ men about sex
• People can't believe how ripped Uncle Albert was in Only Fools and Horses

Choose your content:

Eminem fans furious after special guest doesn't turn up during VMAs performance

Some slim shady fans were not impressed.

Orlando Bloom praised after explaining why he called Katy Perry by her real name in VMAs speech

Orlando bloom congratulated katy perry on a lifetime achievement award.

Gordon Ramsay responds as daughter Holly announces engagement to Adam Peaty

Gordon ramsay's family is growing larger.

Katy Perry responds to viral photo of Orlando Bloom looking at Kim Kardashian while stood next to her

Orlando bloom seemed to embody the distracted boyfriend meme when he was snapped with katy perry and kim kardashian.

• Jefferson City
• Download Our Apps
• Question of the Day
• ABC 17 Investigates
• ABC 17 Stormtrack Doppler Radar
• ABC 17 Stormtrack Insider Blog
• Stormtrack Insider Outdoors
• ABC 17 Stormtrack Weather Alert Days
• Closings and Delays
• Super Bowl 2024
• High School Sports
• Mizzou Tigers
• SportsZone Football Friday
• SportsZone Basketball
• Election results
• 2024 Voter Guide
• Columbia City Government
• Jefferson City Government
• Livestream Special Coverage
• Livestream Newscasts
• A Family For Me
• Healthy Living
• Health & Wellness
• House & Home
• Healthy Pets
• Fuel Finder
• Community Calendar
• Entertainment
• Submit Tips, Pics and Video
• Work for KMIZ
• Explore Local Jobs
• Intern with KMIZ
• Advertise With Us
• Meet the Team
• Jobs/Internships
• Closed Captioning
• EEO Public Filing
• FCC Public File
• TV Listings

Parents, students concerned following recent fight at Battle High School

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A recent fight at Battle High School in Columbia on Monday was the turning point for one Columbia parent.

An email ABC 17 News obtained from parent Dana Shepherd shows the principal of Battle High School Alyssa Galbreath addressing a fight that resulted in a police response. The letter states that an "altercation between a small group of students" occurred at the end of the day on Monday.

According to the letter, law enforcement protocol led to other law enforcement officers responding to the incident, as well.

Galbreath wrote the students involved in the fight are receiving disciplinary consequences outlined in the district's student handbook and Board of Education policy. The letter calls on parents to help mitigate future scenarios similar to Monday's.

"Parents, you can help us by sitting down with your scholars and asking them about conflicts they might be having with other students, explaining the expectation of solving problems respectfully, and making sure you know who their trusted adult is at school, someone they feel comfortable talking to if they are having issues," the letter states.

CPD spokeswoman Jenny Hopper confirmed to ABC 17 News that officers responded for a disturbance and an assault, but said it wasn't clear if the two were related.

Hopper said she couldn't provide additional details related to the incident.

Jasmine Buckner is the mother of a senior at Battle High School who said while she isn't concerned for her daughter now, her other youngest child will not be attending the school in the future.

"It's because of the fights, it's the lack of funds that battle has out there," Buckner said. "Battle really is the battle ground and it's sad that the kids have to actually fight for their academics. They have to fight for their programs out there."

Buckner said fights at the school aren't new, and she's heard about them over the years.

According to the city's 911 dispatch page, calls from between Sept. 1 2023-Sept. 9 2024 show Battle High School had the most calls made to the school, compared to Hickman and Rock Bridge high schools.

According to the log, there were eight calls for alleged assaults at Battle High School in that time frame. Rock Bridge High School had five calls for assault, while Hickman High School had none.

Dispatch log data indicates that during that same time period, there were 421 calls made to Battle, 330 were made to Rock Bridge and 82 were made to Hickman. Battle had 44 calls made for 911 checks, while Rock Bridge had 19 and Hickman had 16.

According to Battle High School sophomore Jasmine Vaughn, while she's seen fights at the school in the past, Monday's was the worst she's seen.

Vaughn said the scene consisted of numerous youth fighting, some of which joined in after the initial fight broke out. Vaughn also described seeing officers pulling students off of each other and police having to spray mace into the air in an attempt to get students to leave the area.

"As I was like going to the bus or whatever, getting picked up, there was like two (fights) that broke out and then three more. And then like as I was leaving, there was like a total of 12 cops," Vaughn said. "This is definitely a typical thing, but it's never been like this bad where like a bunch of police officers are showing up to the school...like everybody was just shocked."

Dana Shepherd said while she believes the school district as a whole could address the issue to make sure everyone is on the same page, she believes the email from the principal shows progess.

"It just seems to me that they have a plan now," Shepherd said. "They have a plan when something happens how they're going to conduct themselves and then get the students disciplinary consequences because to me, if you just keep doing it every year that's an issue."

However, Buckner said she would like to see more action.

Buckner said her sister attended Battle High School four years ago and never saw fights to the extent of the current ones. She said she believes the district needs to become more involved and hopes Monday stresses the importance of shedding light on Battle because the school has potential.

"I think it should have been done a couple of years ago, it's been downhill," Buckner said. It's a complete change. You know, she even talks about how much of a difference it's been and if people higher up don't get involved, then we have failed our children out of battle."

In a statement sent to ABC 17 News on Wednesday, CPS spokeswoman Michelle Baumstark said despite Monday's incident, the school has many positives and stressed the district doesn't tolerate violence.

"Battle High School is a great school.  There are amazing things happening at the school.  As is true in any school environment, there will unfortunately be conflicts between students.  We do not tolerate fighting or school violence of any kind.  We do work to resolve conflict, provide appropriate consequences, and restore the harm caused," the statement reads. "We have multiple safety resources and supports for students and staff at all schools, including Battle.  Specifically, Battle High School has two school resource officers and the district’s assistant director of safety and security assigned to the school."

According to a building discipline incident report from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, in 2023, Battle High School had 35 total incidents, with 1,567 students enrolled in the school. An "incident" is described as an action resulting in a student being "removed from a traditional classroom setting" for 10 or more consecutive days.

Of those incidents, 25 were for a "violent act," though it doesn't describe what those acts entailed.

Rock Bridge High School had 10 incidents with an enrollment of 2,017 students. Hickman High School had eight incidents, with an enrollment rate of 2,030.

Jump to comments ↓

ABC 17 News is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation.

Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here

If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here .