Alexandria

Fights caught on video lead Alexandria school to move classes online

All Alexandria City High School classes will be held online out of an abundance of caution, Superintendent Dr. Melanie Kay-Wyatt said in a letter to families.

NBC Universal, Inc.
Alexandria schools took the unusual step of closing its high school campuses for the rest of the week after fights broke out Wednesday during the lunch hour. According to a letter sent home to parents, a number of students and staff were injured at the King Street campus. News4’s Paul Wagner reports.

There will be no in-person classes at Alexandria City High School on Thursday and Friday after multiple fights broke out on one of their campuses, school officials said.

Several student fights at the King Street Campus location resulted in staff and students with injuries on Wednesday, Superintendent Dr. Melanie Kay-Wyatt said in a letter to families. As a result, all classes were moved online for the rest of the school week.

Video shared with News4 by a parent shows what they said was students fighting inside the school. People throwing punches and kicking someone on the ground can be seen. News4 blurred the video.

School officials put the school on a "hold status" for the majority of the afternoon to ensure the safety of everyone in the building. The status is used to restrict movement within the building. All after-school activities were canceled except for a concert.

Fights with “injuries to staff and students” led Alexandria City High School to cancel classes for the last two days before winter break. News4’s Molette Green reports.

One student was taken to a clinic by his parents, and two students were charged with assault and battery, an Alexandria police spokesperson said.

An adult seen on the floor in a video refused treatment and did not file a police report. No one was taken to a hospital.

A school resource officer was in the school when the fights broke out. Several marked police cruisers parked outside the school Thursday.  

Kay-Wyatt said that moving classes online was out of an abundance of caution and to prevent further disruptions on Thursday and Friday.

In the letter, Kay-Wyatt said that she will work with the high school's administration to create a plan for additional measures that will be implemented when teachers and staff return on Jan. 6, 2025. The plan will "include severe consequences for any disruptive behavior."

The Department of Student Services and Equity will hold support circles for students and staff to process the recent events in the school. The support circles will be held on Thursday and Friday at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

A spokesperson for the school system declined News4’s request for an interview.

Contact Us