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US pupils 'made to fight in cage'
20.03.09
An American school has been hit by allegations that staff made pupils settle their differences by bare-knuckle fights in a steel cage.
The principal of South Oak Cliff High, Dallas, knew about the cage fights and did not stop them, a report by school investigators said.
The report describes two fights in an equipment cage in a boys' locker room between 2003 and 2005. It also states that a parent, Angela Williamson, was ignored when she complained after her son, Cortland, told her of being made to fight as pupils clapped and screamed.
A teacher told the report that principal Donald Moten ordered staff to put two fighting pupils "in the cage and let 'em duke it out".
Reader views (4)
This is as barbaric as allowing people to acquire as many guns and rifles at home as they wish
- Keith Price, Luton, England
I think I agree with the principle of letting kids knock each other about if they want to settle their differences, but lets have a controlled environment like a boxing ring.
Then afterwards shake hands and let that be an end to it.
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
When I was a kid growing up in Dublin, we had quite a strict discipline in schools. However, kids being kids, there would always be a fight at some stage or other. Usually the teachers would be onto it before the first punch was thrown and caught. If the issue could not be resolved verbally by both parties shaking hands and getting on with their lives they would then be led off to the school 'gym' where both parties would put on boxing gloves and be given a chance to slug it out for a short period of time. I'm not saying it was the right thing to do, but it did seem to resolve many a difference in a mature way rather then waiting to 'jump' one another outside school. Funny enough, some of the kids went on to be very competent local amatuer boxers. I don't condone bare-knuckle fighting, nor do I condone bullying in any means, sometimes kids who want to fight should have the opportunity to do so under a controlled environment. May the best 'man' win.
- Alan, London
This is it! The answer to all our school discipline problems. No knives, no ganging up on people just good old toe to toe confrontation. Let's send our schools Lord of the Flies!!
- Mark, London
