Update: Students and teacher call for urgent and extreme change after Tucson High brawl

TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - It’s another case of bad behavior ramped up during the pandemic that we’ve been reporting on all year long.

Sources told KOLD before this incident of ongoing and elevated behavior issues at Tucson High this year.

The large fight with fists flying broke out in the campus courtyard in the middle of lunchtime on May 3.

Students swarmed around the melee, school safety officers moved in to control it, and Tucson Police were called in for help.

TPD arrested a parent and a student in connection to this fight.

The students told the board on Tuesday security guards used pepper spray to control the crowd sending some students to the hospital, which KOLD reported last week.

In a letter read to the board, a student wrote in part: “How are we supposed to remain protected at our school if adults aren’t even partially prepared for what could happen? We want a change in policy that would actually protect us and not put us in even more danger.”

During the call-to-audience, a student told the board, “Tucson High has become an unsafe place to learn due to a shortage of safety monitors and a severe lack of resources for students who are clearly at risk of taking violent action.”

Another student told the board the district needs to, “address problems at the root not just respond to violent actions as they arise. "

In another letter read to the board, a teacher wrote, “It has been made abundantly clear to me that my students fell unsafe and I think serious changes are needed as soon as possible.”

Board member Sadie Shaw has called for a full investigation.

The district responded to our request last week saying they’re looking into the incident and will determine if protocols and policies need to change.

KOLD reached out to the district again about the statements made during the board meeting and has yet to get a response.

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