x
Breaking News
More () »

Nearly 3 dozen criminal charges filed this semester in connection to fights at Groveport high school

Superintendent Jamie Grube sent a letter to parents addressing what the district is doing to combat the violence.

GROVEPORT, Ohio — Groveport Madison Schools is trying to cut down on the number of fights at the district's high school.

Videos on social media showed a recent fight break out at Groveport Madison High School, which was addressed during a school board meeting on Wednesday.

Deputy Superintendent Paul Smathers said the fight was taken care of quickly as staff were already there.

Smathers also shared numbers on how many incidents there have been so far this semester at the high school. He said there have been 32 fights involving 98 children, leading to 33 criminal charges filed with police.

Smathers added those numbers are down from past years.

Eric Kaltenborn, a parent in the district, feels more needs to be done.

"I don't feel they are being completely transparent. I think that the board spends a lot of time arguing with each other and that circumvents any potential resolution to any of these problems. What I hope that actually comes out of this is the public sees what's going on in their town," Kaltenborn said.

Superintendent Jamie Grube sent a letter to parents addressing what the district is doing to combat the violence.

Those measures include increased monitoring in common areas to keep students moving in between classes and plans for additional training for staff in de-escalation and conflict resolution. The district's safety plan can be read here.

In addition, Grube is asking parents to have open conversations with their children about respect, responsibility and making positive choices.

"We are a district that values the well-being of all and strives to create an environment where every student feels they belong and can achieve their best," Grube wrote.

10TV requested police reports and calls for service to the high school, but have yet to receive those documents.

Before You Leave, Check This Out