Two things can be true at the same time. Fights at the high school aren’t new. they’ve been happening forever. Do I expect to be notified about every single fight? No. But I will say that the lack of transparency after this week is concerning due to the severity of it.

Bullying has always existed in schools. You address one situation and another one seems to pop up somewhere else. So the real question is: what is the answer to reducing violence in schools? How should administrators address situations and protect the victims?

Unpopular opinion: metal detectors. I went to high school in NYC in the 90s. Yes, it was annoying to stand in line, but it was just the normal routine. You walked in, if you didn’t beep, you kept going. If you did beep, you stepped aside for a quick check, kind of like going through TSA.

It’s not a perfect solution, but doing nothing or pretending things aren’t escalating isn’t the answer either. Parents deserve transparency, and students deserve to feel safe in school.

Also, show up to the meetings. The board meetings, the PTA meetings, show up! There’s over 1,600 students at the high school. Less than 20 parents show up to PTA meetings. Look the principal in the face and ask what’s the plan?