A Michigan high school staff member was reportedly hospitalized Thursday after being struck in the head with a chair during a fight between two students.
The shocking altercation, which happened at Flint Southwestern Classical Academy, was caught on video and widely shared online.
The video begins with two black female students screaming at each other from across the room, with a female staff member apparently attempting to mediate the situation. The footage shows the female student on the right then picking up a desk chair and hurling it in the direction of the female staff member, who was facing in the opposite direction.
The woman was hit in the back of the head and immediately collapsed to the floor, the video shows.
.@FlintSchools released a press statement about the violent incident “between two scholars.” Scholar is normally used to describe students and academics at the post-undergraduate university level who are doing original research. Some high schools or junior highs appropriate the… pic.twitter.com/qdaCnbMzfv
— Andy Ngô 🏳️🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) September 29, 2023
The Flint Community Schools district Superintendent said in a statement Thursday night that the incident is under investigation.
In his statement, Superintendent Kevelin Jones referred to the brawling students as “scholars.”
“We are writing to inform you about a recent incident that occurred at Southwestern Classical Academy concerning a physical altercation between two scholars,” Jones wrote. “This unfortunate incident resulted in a staff member sustaining an injury.”
“We take this matter seriously and are fully committed to addressing it in a manner that adheres to the law and aligns with the policies of our district,” Jones added. “We understand the concern and worry that incidents like this can generate within our school community.”
According to The Post Millennial, a source familiar with the situation said the teacher was knocked unconscious and was in the hospital as of Friday morning.
Jones said an investigation was launched, and the “goal is to maintain fairness and justice throughout the process.”
He added that the school district is “committed to providing the necessary support and resources” to help “scholars and staff” “cope with any emotional or psychological effects stemming from this incident.”
Michigan Live’s inquiries into the staff member’s status and whether the suspected student assailant was arrested or is facing charges, have not yet been answered.