According to WRIC 8 news “Nearly a dozen Richmond Police Officers were called to the school to break up a fight that authorities say broke out between 5 male students.” According to an adult eyewitness, who for reasons of self-concern refused to identify himself, stated “There were no more than three or four cars at the back of the school and front, which is closer to a half-dozen than a dozen.”Let’s think about this rationally for a moment. There are about 1,000 students enrolled in George Wythe High school. God forbid a riot should break out there, but just how many police officers do you think would be necessary? If it was your child at risk, how many would you want to see there? In fact WRIC 8 quoted, “”To come here and see all these police cars and then they won’t let anyone in or out I think this is just a bit ridiculous,” says Wendy Whitaker, one student’s aunt.” But ma’am, did you just want them to let anyone off the street into a dangerous situation or worse yet, what if some of these so-called dangerous students were to get away and do more harm to another student? I’d like to know what else any reasonable person thinks should happen when a police emergency takes place.

“No one was injured as a result of the brawl, although 8News saw students coming out of the building with black eyes and torn clothing.” was what WRIC 8 reported; however, Southside Richmond’s eyewitness said, “Only two students actually punched each other. The security officer had pinned both boys on the ground so quickly that neither of the boys had a chance to hit each other but a couple times. I was shocked too because I heard the yelling and I went into the cafeteria to see what was going on and when they started swinging the security guard was on top of them like a bolt of lightning. But then kids being what they are, wanted to get in so three other boys had to be taken away by security before anything more happened. The real problem was that so many students were standing around like deer looking into the headlights and so they wouldn’t go to class.”

WRIC 8 claims, “School officials say they heard the fight may have been the result of a turf war between two neighborhood rivals, but are still investigating to find a definite cause. ” The eyewitness said, “What? A turf war? These kids aren’t Bloods and Crips gang-banging on the streets, they’re small groups of neighborhood kids who get together in packs of five or six and terrorize the neighbors’ dogs or write graffitti on the walls and give themselves foolish names like 34th Street or Broad Rock Boys. I’m not saying they are harmless, the police department knows who these guys are, but these aren’t the streets of South Central L.A. These are kids who are looking to identify with all they have; they’re looking for something to call their own. Because they haven’t got much else to claim, they claim the streets on which they live, frequently in rented houses or apartments. It’s sad really.”

Now we’re not going to point the finger at WRIC 8 for this one, but according to their report, “”I was shocked because I didn’t know what was going on. This has never happened before that I know of. This is my daughter’s last year of school and I am trying to get her in and out safely,” says parent Mary Coleman.” Oh Ms. Coleman, if your daughter in fact attended George Wythe High School for all four years, you must have forgotten the innumerable times police responded to the school in large squads under previous leadership at George Wythe. The fact that the school year is nearly over and this is the first time this year a police emergency call has been made by Principal Willie Bell proves what a tremendous change his leadership has had upon the school.

Of course,  let’s not forget the recent article “Wythe High reports drop in violence, thanks to partnership” in the Richmond Times-Dispatch regarding the faith-based support by the Richmond Outreach Center, better known as The ROC, nor should we forget the teachers, security officers, and other faculty members who work hard everyday to improve the lives of our children; thus, our city.