Police were called to Kingsway Academy yesterday morning after an altercation between students, teachers and parents reportedly escalated into what some eye witnesses described as a riot.
According to witness reports, chaos erupted on the school premises at around l0am after a ninth grade student on crutches was beaten down by an older student.
Witnesses claim that the ninth grader used his cellular phone to call his parents for help after he was thrown to the ground by a 12th grade student. The parents allegedly arrived at the school a short time afterwards accompanied by a group of men. The child’s mother said that this was not true. She said her husband arrived alone.
An eighth grader told her mother that she had seen a “truck with a group of men” drive into the school quad.
One of the students told The ļ¾ Tribune that the men exchanged “bitter words” with some of the older children, which then led to a violent fight between the parties.
“The entire high school went wild as some watched helplessly as blows were thrown, steel poles and `2 x 4s’ as well were used in the fight. After several minutes more and more male students tried to jump in and protect the other students,” she said.
However, school board member and campus pastor Joshua Sands said that although he could confirm that an altercation, which required police presence, had occurred, there was no riot at the school.
He added that lessons were not suspended.
Nevertheless, several parents who were at the school to collect report cards demanded to take their children home.
The school was on lockdown after the incident and the parents were only allowed to enter the campus on foot after police got the situation under control.
By KARIN HERIG Tribune Staff Reporter
