COURTLAND
A fight broke out on the morning of Nov. 7 at Southampton High School, leading to the petition, also known as a juvenile warrant, of two students.

A Southampton Sheriff’s Office spokesman said that three students were involved and that two are being charged; the third student was the victim.

Major Gene H. Drewery said that one 16-year-old will be charged with two counts of assault, including one count of assault on a teacher, and a 15-year-old will be charged with one count of assault.

Southampton County School Superintendent Dr. Alvera J. Parrish confirmed to The Tidewater News that there was a fight involving several students, and lauded the teachers for their actions after the fight broke out.

“No student was ever in danger, and there were no safety issues,” said Parrish. “The teachers did their duty to get the situation under control, and the school operated fine after the incident. Everyone went about their business.”

Parrish noted that the incident did not have an effect on the pep rally later that day or football game that evening.

A Southampton Memorial Hospital spokesperson confirmed that two teachers were treated and released from the hospital following the incident.

The students were not immediately arrested following the fight and one was taken home by the resource officer on duty at the school. As is policy regarding juveniles, the intake officer will now decide whether the students charged will be held before trial.

“They may be detained,” said Drewery. “If they don’t have any prior charges, though, the intake officer may just decide to serve them and their parents paperwork with a date to come to court.”

The students will also face disciplinary action from the school system for their actions, as noted in the district’s student conduct code.

As for the timetable regarding those actions, Parrish said, “disciplinary situations are a due process.”