We don’t yet know if race was a factor in the way school and police officials handled a fight at Greenfield High School earlier this week, a claim raised by the parents of one of the eight students involved. What is clear is that a group of students created a disturbance that required outside help to quell.
The chairman of the Human Rights Commission plans to investigate the allegation of racial bias. As that inquiry proceeds, it’s important to take careful stock of the available facts and avoid the temptation to jump to conclusions.
This much is known: the fight began outside the building just after the school day started. School personnel broke it up and brought those involved inside the building, where the fight reignited. When the dust finally settled, additional police officers had been called in and at least two adults allege they had been attacked or knocked down. Eight students — black, white and Hispanic — now face some kind of criminal charges.
The father and stepmother of one of the eight students say race was a factor in how school administrators and police reacted to their son. That claim should be thoroughly examined. But given the large number of students involved, and the fact that school employees are entrusted with the safety and well-being of students and adults, it seems clear that decisive action was needed.
Additional police officers were called because the school’s resource officer was involved in a physical altercation with a student, as was at least one other member of the school staff. Happily, no one was seriously injured — something everyone should be thankful for.
If the combatants and others pulled inside to the school office had been willing to listen to the adults, the need for outside police involvement would have been more limited.
Additional police officers wouldn’t have been called to assist the in-school resource officer, students wouldn’t be facing charges and any school punishment being meted out might have been less severe.
This incident, then, would have remained a schoolyard dust-up that received little attention from the rest of the community. Instead, students, parents and the school would be focusing on encouraging students to behave appropriately, take responsibility for their actions and address the conflicts that precipitated the fight — which may or may not have been related to race.
Before condemning how police and the school handled this fight, let’s understand what actually took place. Once that foundation is in place, the community can hold those responsible — adults, students or both — accountable.