High school officials concerned after student brawl turns into ‘race riot’

Hoover High school brawl thegrio.com
(KTLA)

School officials in Glendale California are trying to bring calm and piece together what led to a brawl at a high school involving dozens of students.

The massive fight last week was caught on video and immediately went viral, KTLA reports

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On Monday, a meeting was held to get to the bottom of what parents called a racially motivated fight between Black and Hispanic football players and Armenian students—the largest ethnic group at Hoover High School.

Police were called in to break up the melee, while school counselors were called in to bring calm and students spoke to them in “restorative circles” and separated from their peers.

“I know a lot of the students are very stressed and they can’t concentrate, and they don’t want to be at school. And what are we supposed to do?” parent Iris Lopez asked.

“Our kids are supposed to go to school to get an education, not to worry about getting in a fight or getting jumped.”

Tensions were high after it was reported that a special needs student tried to hug an Armenian student but was rejected. The Armenian student reportedly spit on the special needs student. That’s when Black football players reportedly jumped in to help the special needs student and a fight broke out.

Parents say the anger extends beyond the school halls.

A screenshot of a Snapchat message that was shared with the news outlet said: “whoever it not Armenian we’re going to shoot.” That message circulated widely on social media on Thursday but was not shared with school officials until Friday.

Parents met with school officials and complained that their students are not safe and that administrators were not doing enough to secure students.

District Superintendent Winfred Roberson Jr. issued a statement Monday afternoon.

“Speculation about any motives and triggers for this altercation are very premature,” the statement begins.

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“The district is still gathering all of the facts and interviewing witnesses to the incident to determine exactly how and why this occurred.”

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