GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A violent fight inside a Gwinnett County classroom has been shared thousands of times on social media, and it got us asking: are there more of these fights happening in schools now, or are we just seeing more of them because everyone feels compelled to record them on their phones and share it all over the place?
On Thursday, video surfaced showing a 7th grader at Creekland Middle School hitting another with a chair, and then again with her hand. The victim reported the incident to an administrator after it happened.
In addition to disciplinary action, the student is also facing criminal charges. Since the incident happened inside a Gwinnett County classroom, Human Resources is conducting an investigation.
Since the video was posted, thousands of comments have been posted online. The comments are emotionally driven, with many saying that this video of a classroom fight is yet another example of bullying and it's high time for it to end.
To help us sort through our viewers's questions and concerns, we asked expert psychologist Dr. Erik Fisher in Gwinnett County who specializes in emotional dynamics, which includes bullying.
One of the top comments we've gotten about the video is "This is what happens when people are afraid to discipline their kids!"
In response, Fisher say a parent's role can play a factor in bullying, but it's not the only one at play. He said our society as a whole might also be part of the bigger problem.
"We have grown this, we have bred this into our culture and it is going to be up to us to change this," he said. "Even our political system is mirroring this. Because our political system sells us, that you have to have power over people, that you aren't honest, that you don't tell the truth and that when you're in power you do what you darn-well please."
Another top comment speaks to bystanders choosing to record the fight, instead of stepping in to help. Fisher says too often in bullying situation, children, and even some adults, don't know how to react because they haven't yet learned how to react. He says parents need to have those conversations with their children.
"'Wow, this happened at school? Does that happen in your school?' 'Yeah, it does.' 'What do you do when that happens?'," he demonstrates. "Help your kids become not bystanders that see these egregious actions happen and are glad it is not them, but become part of the solution to find solutions, to stand up for the people being bullied."
One final comment we got: "This should have never happened in a classroom or anywhere else. Something is wrong on so many levels." Fisher agrees, but says videos don't tell the whole story, and we need to learn what led up to the fight.
"There is no excuse for the behaviors you see on these videos," Fisher acknowledges. "There are explanations for what is going on, though, and that is where we really have step back and not just point the finger at the persecutor."
