Student on their various social media networks including Twitter and Instagram. Both very popular, instagram was blamed for the altercation on Wednesday.
November 11, 2019
As a series of fights take place in schools throughout the area in a matter of a week, one common theme has emerged: social media.
On Nov. 6, an email was sent to everyone enrolled at Pleasant Valley High School. “The incident today was due to comments being exchanged through social media over the last few weeks,” wrote PVHS Administration. Rather than blaming the student who assaulted fellow classmates and teachers, the administration blamed the “altercation in the hallway” on social media.
Principal Darren Erickson commented on the enews, “the bigger issue is why did it happen, which we believe that social media was a big factor,” he said.
Fights are nothing new to high school. While it may not be an everyday occurrence at PV, it still has its place among a bevy of problems that plague PV.
However, unlike issues such as vaping or cheating, a scapegoat emerges with fights. In the latest fight, Pleasant Valley cited social media as the root cause for the altercation occurring. While it isn’t free of blame, there are bigger issues than the improper use of technology.
Principal Darren Erikson supported the idea that social media was a major proponent of the fight. “You can say a lot of things over the phone that you can’t say face to face,” he said.
However, fights have spanned much farther than social media has been around. The notion that fights are primarily caused by social media sets a dangerous precedent.
There is no doubt that social media did play its part in instigating the fight; however, not to the extent that was claimed by the administration. Instead, the real problem lies in students feeling the need to assault their peers in order to resolve their problems.
Senior Kishore Vijaykumar was among many students who felt the school was wrong in placing the blame primarily on social media. “A lot of things are said over social media, but not everyone gets into a physical fight over it,” he said.
When a student gets caught vaping, the administration does not blame gas stations that sell nicotine to them. Instead the student is entirely at fault for choosing to use such products. Fights are no different. While outside factors may fuel a situation, the real problem lies in viewing a fight as the primary solution.
Having social media be the scapegoat for a bigger problem is an ignorant move by the administration. It’s easy to place blame on something that seems to be the cause of many issues in schools. Schools need to fight the bigger issue if they want to prevent further altercations.
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