MASON CITY – Mason City police responded to an altercation at John Adams Middle School at about noon on Wednesday.
It was reported that two female students, ages 14 and 13 “had gotten into a fight.”
Both students were arrested.
Mason City police said today that both students were charged with disorderly conduct.
There were no injuries.
(PHOTO: Interior of a JAMS annex classroom.)
Mason City police have two school resource officers who patrol the school ground throughout the city, according to Lieutenant Ron Vande Weerd. “They spend the majority of their time out there (at the High School / Adams / Alternative school campus)” he said. But they also go to the elementary schools.
He said they are there so that a student can approach an officer if he or she is being bullied or has a problem.
Scholl is out!!! Thank goodness. I think all the kids need a change of scenery and to get away from some bad kids and bad friends, drama and typical junior high B.S. Time to get out enjoy the weather, get away from the kids that were causing problems and make some new friends and enjoy these times. YOu’re only young once, make the best of it!
Does the “TEACHERS UNION” prohibit TEACHERS from reporting, getting involved or halting bully practices in our schools ?
Part of what the REAL problem here is being addressed. Bullies and the suppose to be no tollerance of. Mason City Schools say there is no place within it’s system for one student that interupt anothers education. YET even with all that goes on, also to include there is an “officer” on school property, NOTHING is done.
!st the teacher had to have noticed there was a probelm. Call some one in. Another teacher. principal. SOMEONE. No tolerance. Call a meeting of both students and parents all to be in the same room, everyone has an input and let the truth be told. There is no, nadda, none, any what so ever tollerance for bullying in this system. Principals, if that is to be your JOB, Get some balls, suspend students so their parents NEED to deal with the actual problem. Maybe at that point,a student that wants or really needs an education will realize the reason to be in school, leaving behind ones own personal adgenda. End of suject, or subjects, the parent not wanting to solve an issue; pay for private education.
It’s unbelievable how bad kids treat each other. The bullying is out of hand. Kids just think they can say and do whatever they want, and they don’t give a crap if they hurt others feelings. There’s no respect or loyalty. Being a parent of a teen-ager I see it first hand. The cruelty amongst the kids if awful.
“ARRESTED”….really? Were there weapons involved? Was it one on one, or gang action? Why arrest them ? Good Lord, where are MICICH and the School Board, BECKER,APPLEGATE, HOFFMAN, RECINOS, THOMS, JAYAWARDENA, & YOUNG??? Where is the Principal of the Adams Middle School?????
WAS IT REALLY NECESSARY to ARREST these gals? Did they have guns, or knives? WTH has happened to our education system? Why not suspension instead of being arrested ???
Complete lack in adults is the source of all our problems. Think about it!
Most fights aren’t because of bullys. Boyfriends, girlfriends and just everyday he said she said middle school nonsense. People being bullied usually try to avoid confrontation.
I think there is a chemical imbalance that has occured between parents and there children. Kids are babied till late into their twenties, given everything without putting in an ounce of work or giving any return of respect. Parents who think that there is a problem at the schools with bullying need to take a step back and get real kids now days get more and have more than any generation before. Parents need to get the diapers off and the pacifier outta the mouth let them scuff there knees and get into fights and when they get into trouble let them deal with it on there own. I am tired of hearing and seeing this anti bullying shit! Kids need to tough’n up and quit crying!
Oh and for the parents who read this and say well you say that now but what happens when they bring a gun or knife. Then that kid doesn’t need to be in public school but maybe get looked over by a doctor or put in an insane asylum.
Geez Richard, you’re so far off I don’t know where to begin. I didn’t think it polite to call you by your shortened name, because that could have been construed as an insult on my part.
Here’s the thing you are having trouble understanding. For some kids bullied, it causes EXTREME mental anguish and suffering. Not all of these kids have the rough and tumble dads at home teaching them how to fight, and defend themselves. It’s not all crew cuts and levis like you may have remembered it in the fifties. For some kids, bullying seriously disturbs them (and rightfully so). Bullies encroach on personal space, and toy with ancient ecological/biological mechanisms which civilized people have phased out of their lives (rightfully so).
You see Dick, bullies place people in an impossible situation. On one hand, civil society tells children that it’s wrong to punch and kick other people, that they need to respect them and keep their hands to themselves, as well as follow golden rules…yet here is a violator of society’s own rules and is doing so seemingly unpunished. This causes the child to have to revert to what Thomas Hobbes describes as “self-help”. Namely, when a government cannot sufficiently protect the citizen from abuse or torment, the citizen must revert back to a state of war to remedy the situation themselves. This presents a confliction and internal struggle. Most kids choose not to revert to the state of nature (war) and allow themselves to be continually bullied, building up psychological pressures until one day they crack…either their school work suffers and they drop out, they hurt themselves, or they hurt others …usually not the bully but displaced anger…such as picking on a smaller child.
I’m sorry dick, but you are way off, and need to enlighten yourself on the inner mechanisms to this issue, beyond your nostalgic reminiscing of a by gone era of Tuff Skins, bloodied lips and gee-golly-swell crew cut kids in white t shirts smoking a pack of cigs.
I myself was bullied and understand the issue well. Ultimately the protectors of society are at fault here. If they want humans to obey the covenants of civility, they need to start enforcing that civility on bullies who begin to deviate from them, and NOT place the onus of burden on the child who is bullied…because as we see, BOTH children end up getting arrested because the adults are too dim to understand what is really going on.
How bout sending them to the principal’s office and then suspension – arrested?? Ridiculous.
After reading some of the comments from some of the parents on this site, its no wonder the kids act like dumb asses!
If its between standing up to a bully or feeling like life is worthless and commiting suicide, I would rather my kid breaks the bullys nose. Non of the parents have said they want thier child to fight! Most bullys are abused at home by thier parents and take it out on the “weaker” and usually smarter kids. You are the dumbass, and perhaps a bully yourself!
AMEN!
Bring back captial punsihment and the parents can control their child
You sure you mean “capitol”?
This comment is for “b” First off you dont know what goes on in everyones household, So the CRACK comment was uncalled for. I was at work at the time a place I have work at for 9 years.. One of these girls was my daughter and even though she may have been defending herself she is still in touble and I have told her not to put herself in these type of situations. All though I have told her if someone trys to hit her then defend herself, but she still was involved in a fight at school and we are both paying for it. She not only got herself into trouble but also me because I have to deal with the legal system with her. It is really No ones business, an I do not usually comment but but some of you people have nothing better to do than to talk $.IT About situations with only half the story or truth behind it. I can care less about commenting after this..
Uhh, 500 twelve to fourteen year olds in the same building for 180 days, I’m shocked there was a fight!! Mountains out of mole hills anyone?
I’ve been saying that all year. I have a child at John Adams and it’s been pretty close quarters all year long. If one of the kids farts in the hallway everyone knows about it. They have been packed into the trailers, and tensions have been running pretty high all school year.
That is just absurd. For decades kids where I grew up used mobile classrooms, and there was not the mayhem we have today. I went to High School in a building built in 1926, and I assure you, there was little fighting.
God forbid if there was, because the instructors, Brothers, or Dean of Discipline were all good with paddles, and “the strap” (made of rubber). Trust me, five shots across the hand with the strap will change your attitude real fast. If that did not cure you, six rounds in the ring would have. The school officer and Dean were both Golden Gloves.
I can’t believe this bull shit. i’m so glad i moved out of town. the kids don’t get in trouble here!!!
Hey Blows Joe, are you saying kids don’t get into trouble in Des Moines??? Really?! Uh, i got a bridge for sale…the concrete isn’t even cracked on it!
ARen’t allowed to defend yourself when someone strikes you? I don’t think so, my kids WILL defend themselves, then I guess it’s off to jail, then out for ice cream. 🙂
I have 3 children, that are among the smallest in there classes, I have told them and taught them if they are being bullied and or assaulted to grab whatever is closest and KNOCK THE S@*T out of the person. Is this wrong, yes but I promise you they will not mess with you again. I know from experience as I myself was small and had to defend myself BY ANY MEANS necessary to not get hurt to bad. The ONLY WAY TO STOP A BULLY IS TO KNOCK HIS/HER OUT!!!!!!!!!! They are a bully for a reason and will NEVER change.
“b” not all issues are because of parents sitting at home “smoking crack”! In this instance, one young lady grabbed the other by the hair trying to pull her into the bathroom and started hitting her. The other young lady was defending herself, she did swing back, which is what got her arrested. In the MCCSD, even if attacked and being assualted, a student is not allowed to defend themselves. All involved are turned over to the police.
That is total BS. If a ANYONE is being attacked they should have every right to defend themselves. If either of my kids are in a situation like this, I will support them for defending themselves. I don’t agree with it any other way. I was a victim of bullying. I have been training in various styles of Martial Arts for the the last 20 years. I am not an advocate for violence but i have no problem with ringing someone’s bell if they choose to put their hands on me and give me no other choice. I don’t claim to be a badass but i am quite capable of defending myself and i will NOT be a victim if i can at all help it. I have taught my kids the same thing and also for them to come to the aid of a victim of bullying.
Both parties are arrested and put into the system. If you claim self defense, that is an affirmative defense and you need to prove why you were defending yourself. Self defense is a valid and justifiable reason for assaulting someone, you just have to prove it and the JUDGE is the one to rule on it not the police on the scene of an evolving situation. The police’s job is to stop the crime, assault, and to gather evidence to be used by the JUDGE to rule on. These cases are never as simple as they appear at first glance.
Fred, I’d have to say i agree with that comment. I wasn’t thinking of that at first. Thank you.
When are these punk kids going to grow up in this city? Oh wait, not until their lazy ass parents get off the couch and stop smoking their crack!!!!!! Start being a parent and start parenting!!!!!! Im sure what happen after this each parent blamed the other party involved instead of taking responsibility for their own kids actions, hell they probably held a party in honor of their child being arrested.
I know one of these kids, the one that was DEFENDING herself. And her parents don’t sit around and smoke crack. The child defending herself is a good kid, gets good grades, participates in sports, etc. She certainly didn’t deserve to be arrested. This comment is uncalled for. The system is messed up that a child cannot protect or defend themselves.
I agree I think that the kids who are getting picked on should be able to stand up and defend themselves. Just remember there are two sides to every story.
I’m in absolute agreement with Lt. Van De Weerd’s comment about the officers being there to support students who need assistance or are being bullied. Now this is a good use of police power…to stop the little terrorists found in schools from using their immature powers to harass and bully other children. When I was going thru school, we had no such presence and school officials were oblivious to the nuances of what was going on between children. High school for me was actually less problematic than middle school.
Sadly, the police presence at the high school and middle school isn’t what they make it out to be. When I was in school, all the office did was hide away in his office and on the rare occasion would step out during passing time. My younger sister is currently attending the high school and not much has changed. When they say the officers spend most he day “out” they’re right. The officer assigned to the high school comes in to the place I work every day countless times instead of being on campus. Hes always in uniform but I don’t think filling your LP tank and eating nut vars is in the job description.