Two Southview Middle School teachers allegedly encouraged students to fight (VIDEO)

LORAIN — Two Southview Middle School teachers remain on administrative leave after videos appear to show they encouraged two students to fight in a May 9 incident. According to videos and information released by the Lorain Schools on Wednesday, district security cameras and students' cellphone footage showed Amanda Wilt and David Contreras encouraging two sixth-grade boys to fight during a class change at about 2:20 p.m. May 9. In a news release, Lorain Schools stated it was following up on student allegations that the pair encouraged the two boys to fight. Superintendent Jeff Graham said while the due process is still ongoing, he struggles with what he sees in the videos. "Our teachers' actions brought a lot of questions, and a lot of concerns," Graham said. In a news release accompanying the footage, the district notes Lorain Schools has a zero-tolerance policy for violence within its buildings and any discipline will be consistent with board policy and past practice. In a statement, the Lorain Education Association, which represents both teachers, said it is "extremely disappointed in the district's decision to portray these educators in the manner they apparently have before their personnel cases have been resolved." The incident Video footage provided to The Chronicle-Telegram by the district shows students and staff in the hallway near the west entrance of the building around 2:20 p.m. May 9. Contreras, wearing a gray shirt and black baseball cap, is seen talking to two students, one in a black shirt, and one in a red shirt in the middle of the hallway. Contreras appears to raise his hand between the two, and when he drops it, the two boys start fighting. Wilt can be heard saying "let them fight," Graham said. In the about 30 seconds the boys fight, security footage and a student's cell phone video shows each land several punches, and shove one another across the hallway. Wilt appears to push bystanders — including one student filming the incident — away while other people shout "call security," according to audio in the student video. Video footage also appears to show both Contreras and Wilt trying to grab another student's cellphone while he films the fight. While the boys are fighting, Wilt appears to push the boys away from her, but not try to stop the altercation. The district's security cameras do not have audio. Another staff member did call security, and after another teacher arrived to break up the fight, Contreras appears to help separate the boys, according to the video. Safety officers arrived shortly thereafter to further separate the boys. There are two safety officers assigned to Southview Middle School, both of which were in another part of the building when the fight initially started. Neither student was seriously injured, Graham said. Graham said during conversations with the staff involved, they expressed concerns for their personal safety if they would have broken up the fight. After the fight, a separate video clip shared by the district shows Contreras and Wilt still in the hallway with several other staff once class had resumed. With the doors to their classrooms open, and students seated inside, Contreras and Wilt appear to be mocking the boys' fight. Wilt appears to raise and lower her arm like a referee in one clip. In another clip, Wilt puts one hand on Contreras' forehead while he pretends to kick at her and she pretends to swing at him. The two boys involved in the fight had a large height difference. Next steps When the fight initially occurred, the two students involved were suspended, Graham said. But once other students brought forward videos and district staff reviewed the footage and its own security feed, they were brought back May 17 with no further disciplinary action against them. The case was forwarded to Child Protective Services, which found claims of child endangerment to be unsubstantiated, Graham said. An internal investigation is ongoing, and its results will be turned over to Lorain police. LEA President Julie Garcia noted both teachers have cooperated with the district's and Child Protective Services investigations. "District administrators, unfortunately, have instead chosen to scapegoat these well-respected educators who have dedicated their lives and careers to (serve) their students and ensuring their well-being," she said. She added that one of the teachers involved served on the building safety committee for Southview, including advocating for an additional security officer to handle incidents like this, advice the administration allegedly ignored. Intervening in a fight that may require a student be physically restrained requires specialized crisis prevention and intervention training, Garcia said, and educators are instructed not to intervene without that training. "Lorain City Schools never offered that training, or for that matter, any specific guidance as to how to handle student fights, to educators," she said. "We have no reason to believe that the district would not be equally as likely to pursue discipline against teachers for physically intervening in this situation." She said the LEA will continue to advocate for Wilt and Contreras to ensure their due process rights are preserved and is calling on the administration to provide clearer guidelines and training for all educators when they return to school next month. "The safety and well-being of our students is our top priority, and we need the support of the district to ensure we can effectively deliver on that mission," she said. Any formal action taken against the teachers will follow Wilt's Loudermill hearing, part of the due process provided to a public employee, Graham said and would have to be approved by the school board. Wilt is an English teacher, and has worked at the district for 20 years. She has tenure and no disciplinary record, according to the district. Contreras is a science teacher and has worked at Lorain Schools for six years. He is on a limited teaching contract and also has no disciplinary record. Redacting students' faces from the video footage cost Lorain Schools approximately $3,000. Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com.