The following statement was issued Thursday afternoon, by Greenville County Schools concerning the situation at Berea High School. The full statement is below.
On Tuesday, November 30, a Berea High School student was assaulted in the cafeteria while waiting for an afternoon bus. This assault was broken up by the School Resource Officer and an administrator, each of whom put himself between the attacker and the victim at various times. While the conflict was being resolved, the brother of the student who initiated the assault intervened inappropriately and was instructed to leave. While the attacker was being escorted from the cafeteria to the office, the brother intervened again and both students became combative and had to be restrained for the safety of the employees and students who were in the vicinity. A thorough review of the school’s security video by the district administration and local law enforcement concurs that the actions were within policy and did not involve a chokehold. Additionally there is no evidence of the SRO or an administrator restraining the students with a knee. The students have been charged by law enforcement and face discipline in accord with Board Policy. The guardian of the student who was assaulted in the cafeteria has issued a statement in support of the administration and law enforcement’s response.
Contrary to reports, no students were suspended or otherwise disciplined for recording or posting videos of the incident on social media. Three students, in addition to the two who were restrained, are being disciplined and/or charged by law enforcement for physically interfering with the altercation.
This morning, beginning at 8:45 Berea High students were allowed to participate in a peaceful protest initiated by an outside entity who does not have a direct connection to this incident. Approximately 50-75 students out of a student body of 1,200 chose to participate and were informed that no discipline consequences would be issued if they returned to class by 9:25 a.m.