Port Barre Police arrested 16 students, ages 14 to 19 years old, after a brawl at Port Barre High School.
The incident happened Tuesday afternoon as students were loading their buses to go home. A juvenile, who had been expelled, drove up to the school with two other students, Chief Deon Boudreaux says.
They got out of the car and ran to the bus area, where they started fighting with other kids, the chief said.
This caused a large number of juveniles to engage in “crowd fight," Boudreaux said. "On Wednesday morning, three more juvenile arrests stemmed from another fight which occurred in a classroom."
Boudreaux said officers examined school security camera video to identify most of the juveniles involved.
All the kids who were arrested were booked with disturbing the peace by fighting; one also was booked with assault on a teacher.
The expelled student and his two friends were booked with criminal trespassing, inciting a riot and disturbing the peace by fighting.
"School fights have become a common nuisance. This not only disrupts the learning process of other students but it also places the teachers and staff in danger. Unfortunately, we are in an era of lawlessness and violence," the chief said. "There must be more accountability and consequences to deter this type of activity in our schools. School security is an absolute must. Every school should have officers on campus during school hours. Our state leaders and school boards need to have some discussion and find funding to be able to place officers in our schools.
"I know I’m repeating myself when I say this but many juveniles have no fear of consequences for their actions. This is because our state’s juvenile justice system needs adjusting, which I’m looking forward to the plans of our governor elect. I’m confident Governor Landry will address the issues in our state’s juvenile justice system to decrease juvenile crime in our schools and communities. I implore the school boards to place a “zero tolerance” policy with violent students. Apply punishments that make will make the students think twice about violent activities," he said.
