Fighting
405 - Fighting
A physical confrontation involving two (2) or more students.
Schools should consider multiple factors, including:
whether student acted in the heat of the moment, as opposed to planning ahead
whether student complied with adult intervention to stop
whether student was verbally provoked
whether student acted in self-defense
whether student was intervening in fight
the student’s age
whether fighting is persistent or habitual
Apply extended suspension and expulsion only to grades 6-12.
Level 5: If the school administrator decides to request an expulsion conference, the school administrator or designee must contact the Department of Student Services within two (2) days of the alleged offense to request an expulsion conference.
Level 1-3
Intentionally shoving, pushing, or otherwise being physically aggressive toward another in the context of a fight (e.g., body check; intentionally bumping).
Level 1-4
Intentionally engaging in a fight (which may be small, spontaneous, and short, and/or result only in minor, cuts, scrapes, bruises).
Level 2-5
Intentionally engaging in a fight, which may be large, pre-planned, extended, and/or resulting in major injuries like a broken limb or otherwise especially serious based on the listed factors.
Guidelines for Police Intervention in a Fight
Each incident is to be investigated. Administrators will need to make a final decision as to whether or not to call the police.* If the police are to be involved, they must be called in a timely manner (preferably in a 24 hour period). The following guidelines are to be used with discretion in making the decision to contact the police.
Student(s) has obvious injury that may require medical attention.
Student(s) refuses to respond to authority and escalates aggressive behavior upon initial separation.
Student(s) turns anger on staff with words or physically assaults staff during the fight.
Student(s) is a repeat offender, within the current school year. Notify police that student is a repeat offender.
Student(s) uses an object that has the potential to cause injury during the fight.
*If the site administrator does not request police intervention, the parent(s)/legal guardian(s) maintains the prerogative to report the incident to the police and file charges.