“This is a place for teaching and learning and it needs to be safe for everybody,” principal Carol Goddard said after an altercation occurred at Watkins Mill High School on November 20. The administration then went through a number of procedures to ensure the safety of all Watkins Mill students.

The fights during STEP on November 20 “stemmed from an altercation that took place unbeknownst to [administration] on a Wednesday prior to that Friday event,” Goddard said. The students involved “ were sent home, [but] nobody had anticipated that there would be [further incidents],” Goddard said.

Once school ended, the altercation continued into a neighborhood near the school. The administration immediately notified the authorities and the police were instantly on the scene to break up the fight, preventing any serious injuries. The students involved faced disciplinary action.

The administration attempted to diffuse the situation immediately by ending STEP early on that Friday. “Sometimes the best way to do it is to shut it all down,” assistant principal Kiera Butler said. By ending STEP early, they were able to clear the hallways to “make sure that nothing went beyond what happened in that section of the building,” Butler added.

Once the second fight had been diffused, parents were called and informed about the situation. Administration then had to communicate with the community, to inform them of what happened and how it was being handled. They sat down with both sides, so that they could get to the bottom of the issue.

Over the weekend, Goddard sent out multiple letters to the community. “With all the social media…a lot of people knew what was going on but they weren’t sharing with security…admin, [and the] rumors that were flying around that could have been dispelled immediately,” Goddard said. “To prevent it we have to be transparent, we have to tell people.”

By  November 23, the administration had conducted a thorough investigation of what had happened and how to prevent it in the future.  STEP was shortened that day only, while the investigation was still taking place, but the regular schedule resumed the next day.

To avoid this in the future, it is imperative that students be forthcoming with information. “In this day and age, a lot of people are afraid of being a snitch…nothing says that you have to give your name up…we treat things very confidential,” Goddard added.

Watkins Mill administration’s main concern is keeping the students safe. “Our number one job is the safety and security of our students in our building,” Butler added. “What happened…should not have taken place.”