Magnolia, TX – A female freshman at Magnolia West High School asserts administrators there failed to protect her from a vicious assault at the hands of another student that transpired on campus.
Prior to the brawl, Tony Driver, 15, said a former friend and classmate antagonized her via text message . The threat, telling her to “watch herself,” was sent around 10:30 am Thursday. Driver tried to address the issue with the principal, going to the office to show him the threatening content of the messages. However, an office secretary told the girl to leave a note, as the principal was out to lunch, and to go back to class.
After leaving the office, the confrontation between Driver and the other unnamed female student ensued and was captured on cell phone video. According to Driver, “I was just standing there talking to one of my friends, and she came and tapped on my back. She said, ‘I told you to watch your back.’”
The encounter launched into a skirmish of hair pulling and kicks . The 25-second video footage shows the other female student shoving Driver and from there the situation escalates quickly, as Driver is knocked to the ground.
A school custodian can be seen standing at the wayside, hands on hips, doing nothing to intercede – but the policy is they are not allowed to. Regardless, the staff-member neglected to verbally attempt to cease the violence or use the walkie-talkie, seen on her hip, to radio for assistance.
The fight was eventually broken up by campus patrol. Driver was left with minor scratches and bruises, but was cited for disorderly conduct and suspended, which she finds absurdly unfair. “Even though she hit me first, because I hit her back, it was the same punishment for both of us. The principal told me, he was like, ‘why didn’t you just walk away?’”
Driver’s mother, Quita, agrees her daughter should not receive the same punishment as the other girl, as it’s a natural reaction to defend oneself when attacked. Quita feels the video and text should be enough prove her daughter wanted no part of the fight but had little choice but to protect herself.
The Magnolia Independent School District is still investigating the incident.
Do you think it is fair the girl, who tried to inform school officials of a potential altercation, was ultimately punished for defending herself? Or do you think the teen should have walked away after being provoked?
[Image via Shutterstock ]