[Editor's Note: This story originally was published June 1. It was re-posted June 2 for inclusion in Sunday's newsletter. The story was updated June 4 to reflect a new statement from the superintendent that "the district is exploring options up to and including expulsion" for the main assailant. Stephenson said Friday that the district is "moving for expulsion."]
Seven students have been suspended following a beating Wednesday at , authorities said Friday.
said she could not comment on the ages, genders or grades of those involved with the May 30 incident due to student confidentiality laws.
Parents reported that the , and that one group of girls recorded the assault and stopped others from interrupting it. The fight was later posted on YouTube, then removed.
A parent who watched the video described it to Albany Patch. In the recording, a student follows the assailant in the hallway, then films her as she attacks another girl.
"It wasn't a fight. It was a beating," the parent wrote. The assailant "walked up from behind this other girl in a crowded hallway between classes and grabbed her hair, repeatedly punching her in the face, pulling her to the ground and slamming the back of her head on the hallway tile. It was violent and lasted 40 seconds before faculty intervened. No other students took action to stop the assault, walking past or around what was happening. The other girl had no opportunity or did not respond, trying to defend herself, but she seemed helpless in the video."
Stephenson said Friday she did not know the video had been posted on YouTube.
The incident, Stephenson said, involved one main assailant, and the district is moving for that student's expulsion. (UPDATE, June 4: On Monday, a district representative said "the district is exploring options up to and including expulsion.")
According to a post on Twitter, the assailant in the fight went to the Police Department after the assault, and remained "Locked Up" as of June 1. Police have not shared many details about what transpired.
Six other students were suspended after the incident, said Stephenson. They were found to be either observing the fight, or did not intervene to stop it, she said.
Lt. Dan Adams said the fight was reported to police on Wednesday shortly after noon.
Several commenters on Albany Patch said the incident did not appear to have resulted from bullying, but was instead "a premeditated assault."
"I don't see bullying happen at Albany High," wrote . "I'm a sophomore and maybe it's going on behind the scenes, but nothing like this has happened before, as far as I know. Fights like this don't happen, at least during school. This was a random, unusual, unexpected event that isn't normal. ... It was a horrible thing--let's all hope for the senior and that it won't happen again."
How do you see violence in Albany schools? Does the district handle such cases adequately? Please tell us in the comments.
If there's something in this article you think , or if something else is amiss, call editor Emilie Raguso at 510-459-8325 or email her at albany@patch.com.
