When a fight breaks out at Jackson-Reed, a chaotic energy is cast over the student body. In an adrenaline-filled pandamonium, students rush to the scene of action. Tensions rise as the students fighting are surrounded by their peers and hundreds of phones are instantly recording. 

Most fights end with school deans holding back the still-swinging students as spectators disperse and return to their prior conversations, carrying on with their day without a second thought. 

Consequences for participating in fighting can include a few days of out-of-school suspension or in-school suspension. This is incredibly lenient compared to possible expulsion at most surrounding private schools that have a considerable amount of less physical conflicts than DCPS public schools. Due to the leniency of the punishments for DCPS school fights, students might not second guess resorting to physical conflict when arguing with other students. This factor leads to the normalization of fights among the student body, a dangerous mindset clashing with the safety of our school. 

Constant fighting not only projects a negative image on our school but also can create an unsafe environment. Students who are surrounded by the aggression of fighting may be more likely to partake in it themselves, causing more conflicts. They also may feel distracted from the reason that they are in school: to learn. 

Although the majority of fights don’t cause substantial harm to students, some major injuries have been inflicted on Jackson Reed students who are fighting outside the school. Thankfully-because of metal detectors at the entrance of our school- fights inside the school rarely include weapons other than the students’ fists. However, there have been plenty of instances of kids taking it a step farther on school campus outside, or in Tenleytown, practically across the street.

DCPS must create stronger consequences for school fights. With more severe responses to fighting, the amount of fights at our school will shrink, as it will no longer be worth it to turn a verbal altercation physical.

Fighting at Jackson-Reed only leads to increased student anxiety that can decline academic performance, damage relationships between students, and a hostile learning environment.

Stronger consequences must be put in place.