A local activist says a Pennsylvania high school has turned into a “war zone,” with several violent fights breaking out every day.
Alphonso Newsuan told WPVI-TV that things have gotten out of control at Coatesville Area High School, especially in the “9/10 Center,” where freshmen and sophomores attend class. Newsuan also shared several videos showing the fights with the news station.
“We have security that aren’t allowed to break up fights inside the school. We have police that are not allowed in the school unless they report to the superintendent,” Newsuan said. “Teachers know that they will be either fired, they will be reprimanded, if they complain or try to have anybody suspended.”
Students also told the news station about the fights.
“There has been a lot of violence going on,” Jaydren Comfort, a 9th-grader, said.
Joey Audette, another 9th grader, said, “”Just a few days ago, there was a seven-versus-seven fight, and it was pretty crazy.”
Other students say there are five to seven fights a day.
Newsuan posted on Facebook after sharing the videos:
Parents please reel in your children. They are out of control, and they are actually making a dysfunctional district worse. This isn’t the by product of an article, it’s the by product of parents refusal to hold their children accountable, and a district that let go of most of the administrators, specialist and teachers that had relationships with the children and the parents. There’s enough blame to go around.
Many students and others from the community defended the school on social media after the story was reported on by the local news:
Good things also happen at Coatesville such as Special Olympics and the goal reached of 1,200 community service hours by ROTC
ON WEDNESDAY 6/1, WEAR RED AND BLACK OR COATESVILLE GEAR TO SHOW OUR SCHOOL PRIDE WONT DIE 🔴⚫️⚪️ WE KNOW THE TRUTH #TheVilleIsOne
In my 4 years of high school I attended 3 different schools and coatesville was by far my favorite . I hate how they get such a bad rep
But others said there was more fighting at the school on Thursday:
people complain about the media portraying coatesville as a war zone but then go back the next day &continue to fight instead of changing it
Haven’t been on the Coatesville campus for a minute and already saw a fight
The school district has not commented on the videos.
