Exclusive: Saint Paul Public Schools district investigating violent student brawl caught in viral videos
WARNING: The video in this article contains violent imagery that may be disturbing to some viewers.
Officials at the Saint Paul Public Schools district are investigating videos that appear to show students of Asian descent from Washington Technology Magnet School engaging in brawls against another group of minors.
Saint Paul Public Schools district issued a statement to NextShark saying the fights broke out after students at high schools and middle schools across Saint Paul participated in walkouts on Jan. 18 to protest in-person learning amid the spread of COVID-19.
Footage of the fights first appeared on Jackfroot’s Instagram page and shows what appear to be minors engaging in a violent brawl. (Warning: the videos may be disturbing to some viewers.)
While the posts mention the race of the students involved, the school says it has not found evidence that the fight was racially motivated. An investigation into the allegations is ongoing.
A source with direct knowledge of the situation told NextShark that physical fights have been ongoing at the school since the one that occurred during the walkout. They added that racial tensions have long been an issue at Washington Technology Magnet School.
“The policy of the District is to maintain a learning and working environment that is free from discrimination, harassment, or violence on the basis of race, color, national origin, creed, religion, marital status, familial status, sex, sexual or affectional orientation, gender identity and expression, status with respect to public assistance, age, disability, membership or activity in a local commission as defined by Minn. Stat. § 363A.03,” Saint Paul Public Schools said.
“We take allegations of racial discrimination very seriously and will take appropriate actions as outlined by Saint Paul Public Schools Policy.”
The student population at Washington Technical Secondary Magnet includes a total minority enrollment of 95%, with 55.9% of students being Asian, 24% Black, 11.8% Hispanic, 4.7% white, 3% two or more races, 0.6% American Indian/Alaska Native and 0.1% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, according to US News.
The district said it is now working with the Saint Paul Public Schools Security and Emergency Management Team and the Saint Paul Police Department to determine what consequences the students involved should face based on the SPPS Student Rights and Responsibilities.
“We are working diligently to provide support to students who witnessed these events and to identify those responsible,” the district added. “In addition, we will be meeting with student groups to debrief this incident, learn from it and develop ways to more effectively hear students’ voices moving forward.”
Feature via Jackfroot
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