A Gwinnett County high school student repeatedly punched and kicked a classmate in a dispute over candy, the second time in a week that video emerged showing such violence at the same school.
The incidents prompted Discovery High School principal Gene Taylor to send a letter to parents Thursday urging them to talk to their children about better ways to resolve conflicts.
In the latest video, obtained by Channel 2 Action News, a student stood over a seated classmate Wednesday afternoon with both fists clenched. The student who was standing said the seated classmate owed him a dollar for a piece of candy, according to a school district police report. The student that was standing began punching and kicking his classmate in the head for about 10 seconds. An adult rushed from the classroom, apparently calling for security.
The student who attacked his classmate was charged with battery and the victim was charged with theft, school district officials said.
Last week, Discovery High students shared video of two boys fighting inside a locker room in the school, with one student slamming the other to the ground as several students cheered on the fight.
State data shows Discovery reported 92 fights last school year, more than any Gwinnett high school. The school, though, had 409 instances of student incivility, which ranked near the bottom of Gwinnett’s high schools, according to the state data.
Taylor called the incidents “atypical” of behavior at the school. He asked parents to tell their children to report any conflict that could result in violence and warned students who cheer on fights or record them will face disciplinary action.
“[T]his type of behavior has not and will not be tolerated at Discovery High School,” Taylor wrote.
