CMS High School Fights Posted by Students on YouTubeCHARLOTTE, N.C. - Is your child using the cell phone you probably pay for to capture violence between classmates? There are plenty of videos posted by students on YouTube from CMS high schools like West Charlotte, West Meck, Independence and Garinger. We even talked with one 16-year-old CMS student was the subject of a similar video. He says, "It's just annoying seeing people on the sidelines recording instead of trying to stop it or whatever, it's annoying.” Freelance writer and youth mentor Jarvis Holliday blogged about the issue. He worries that unlike the days when a school fight was hot gossip for a few days, these fights may leave marks that take much longer to heal. "There's a humiliation factor that lingers. They (students) no longer can get over it,” says Holliday. And then, there's the concern about what that lingering humiliation could lead to. "That (the student's) gonna find a way to retaliate that makes it much more serious than how it began,” says Holliday. So what is CMPD doing about these fights? Nothing. Several department supervisors say they haven't encountered any of this activity and don't want to go on camera to talk about it to avoid encouraging it. But CMS law enforcement is aware of the videos and says they've been used in disciplinary instances, but also, "The video could be used as evidence in a criminal investigation if there are injuries or an assault,” says CMS Police Department's Detective Kenny Lynch. Lynch says even the kids doing the recording could get into trouble. "They certainly would be deemed as just as responsible as parties that participated in the fight,” says Lynch. Holliday warns the kids he mentors to think long and hard before sharing any video online, but worries, "I don't think privacy or even the concept of privacy is something they understand, appreciate or even desire." It comes down to parents getting involved and checking your child's phone, even if they resist. Students have gotten in school and out of school suspension for participating in fights that were captured on cell phone video. CMS allows cell phones on campus, but doesn't allow students to use them during school hours. |
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