SCHENECTADY - Violent fights in schools have been a troubling trend CBS 6 has been following, and we've obtained another exclusive video.
This time it's from the high school in the Schenectady City School District. We've blurred the video because minors are involved.
The district says this took place last Tuesday in a hallway. Several students appear to be involved in the altercation, and someone appearing to try to break it up has their hair pulled, before an adult male arrives to try to stop the fight.
Schenectady isn't the only district that's had fights like this one. As we've reported, parents in the Hudson City School District contacted us, and also shared exclusive video of fights there.
Last year, we also were given exclusive video of fights in the Green Island UFSD. An uptick in incidents there led to a crowded, tense meeting with parents demanding answers.
As for Schenectady, a statement from the district reads in part that it "involved four students who had an ongoing issue. They threw punches at one another and ended up grappling on the floor. The staff was quick to respond. while a staff member did get scratched, no one went to the hospital."
The district also tells us there are two Community Engagement Officers (CEO’s) and 23 safety team members at Schenectady High School. We're also told physical altercations have been cut in half, with 143 this school year compared to 286 for the same time period last school year.
Schenectady High School Principal Dennis Green provided the following statement to CBS 6:
As a school, we are always looking for ways to minimize conflicts that students might have, especially conflicts that lead to physical altercations. We recognize that teenagers will struggle with relationships both inside and outside of school and we work tirelessly to find ways to support our young people. We have invested in bridging our partnerships with families and our community in order to support the students at Schenectady High School. We have launched a Parent Empowerment Center and created a Home and School Alliance because we recognize that we do this work in partnership with our parents and families. The collaboration between home and school does not end in elementary or middle school. Young people need their families to help see them through graduation. While any physical altercation is upsetting we work to restore and rebuild relationships and harm done. Through our restorative practices and an increase in the strategic presence of our safety team we have seen a significant reduction in our behavioral data from last year. This reduction, we believe, is due to the positive relationships that our staff establish with students and families, a revitalization of our school’s climate and culture, and a genuine care and concern for the whole child.
Stay with CBS 6 as we follow this Crisis in the Classroom.
Crisis in the Classroom is a weekly segment in which CBS 6 investigates issues faced by educators, students, and families. Send any tips to our team by emailing or by calling (518) 288-6034.