Columbia-area high school employee put on leave after fight with student, district says
An employee at a high school in Columbia has been placed on leave following a physical altercation with a student Tuesday, Richland School District Two said.
The incident occurred at Ridge View High School, school district spokeswoman Libby Roof said in a news release.
The fight is being investigated by the school, the district, and the school’s resource officers, Ridge View’s principal, Dr. Brenda Mack-Foxworth, said in a letter sent to employees and parents of students.
“From what we know so far, an employee and student engaged in a physical altercation and videos are circulating on social media,” Mack-Foxworth said in the letter.
The clip shows an adult throwing punches as he grapples with a 15-year-old inside a classroom filled with students, in a video shared by WIS.
The adult is not identified as a teacher by either Roof or Mack-Foxworth, only as an employee of the school.
The employee is on administrative leave, Roof said.
Information on what led to the fight is unavailable.
Because the incident is under investigation, Mack-Foxworth said many details could not be shared. The principal did say that safety is a priority.
“We wanted you to know that we are taking this incident very seriously,” Mack-Foxworth said in the letter. “Ridge View High and Richland School District Two does not condone physical altercations and violent behavior. We strive to ensure a safe and secure environment for teaching and learning.”
This story was originally published May 28, 2019 at 6:14 PM with the headline "Columbia-area high school employee put on leave after fight with student, district says."
