NORMANDY, Mo. – Police say a student and her father got into a violent fight at a Missouri middle school, sending the girl to the hospital, according to KTVI.
Police say the will seek a felony charge of assault against the father.
Word of the incident quickly traveled through Normandy Middle School’s 7th and 8th Grade Center.
“Everybody was like, ‘Somebody got a whooping!’ And I was like, ‘Who?’ And somebody was like, ‘Somebody’s daddy and he was punching their child,’” said student Zya Nalls.
Witnesses said three to four Normandy police cars responded to the school. A Normandy officer said a father was at the school for a teacher conference. Later, he and his 15-year-old daughter were in the school office. Police said their discussion turned heated and then violent. The girl was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The girl’s father was arrested by police.
Two weeks ago, the school district’s security chief was arrested for using a stun gun on a student.
Normandy police said the middle school has improved with regards to calls for violence. A few years ago, police would respond hundreds of times a year for problems. Since a school resource officer began working there, the number of reports has dropped to about 30 or 40 per year.
School officials released a statement that said, in part, “The safety and security of the students are of critical importance. And they will continue to take necessary measures to ensure the schools are safe.”
The case is being turned over to the county prosecutor and to juvenile authorities.