Violent brawls being posted to social media at Smith-Hale Middle School

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Videos of students fighting at Smith-Hale Middle School are making their rounds across social media, showing big brawls inside hallways and bathrooms.

“I do know there is an officer in the building. I don’t know how many because even having an officer in the building still does not prevent what’s happening,” said Nakikio Moore, mother of an eighth grade student. “I don’t even think the teachers can handle the kids. The principles can’t. The students are very much well out of control.”

Moore said this isn’t a new problem, but it’s increasingly getting worse. Her daughter is one of the girls fighting in a video and innocently targeted.

“She’s currently suspended right now for a fight with a girl she doesn’t even know, doesn’t even know her name, first or last name. The girl walked up to her and said ‘Girl, I want to fight you.’ The girl continued to walk closer to her and started swinging on her. Now you have a whole physical altercation,” Moore said.

Moore said her daughter had no choice but to defend herself. She previously went to school admins to warn them about threats and potential fighting. She claims nothing was done.

She said it’s unfair how the school is deciding to discipline the children, specifically her daughter, who was suspended for the fight and also for recording other student’s fighting.

Moore is concerned for her daughter’s safety, the amount of learning lost from being out of school and questions how these fights are allowed to happen so frequently with no intervention from adults or teachers.

“They’re all on social media. These fights are happening every day — daily,” Moore said. “I don’t even know they know what to do because the district is aware that these fights are taking place. I don’t think she’s safe even attending this school. You don’t know if someone is going to pick a fight with you. I don’t want her going to school looking over her shoulder.”

The Hickman Mills School District sent this statement to FOX4:

The Hickman Mills C-1 School District will thoroughly investigate any allegations of physical contact between students and will respond in accordance with the student code of conduct. The safety and security of our students and staff is our top priority. We do not condone or tolerate violent behavior on our campuses.

We are aware of the social and emotional effects of the pandemic on our students as they return to school. We are working with various community organizations to provide support. Parents and guardians can help us by talking with their students at home about appropriate school behavior and reporting conflicts to the administration.

They didn’t disclose exactly how they will address the ongoing issue.

“There is no fear because there are no consequences,” Kevin Moore said.

The Moores said the district can and needs to do more to address the issue before someone is seriously hurt.