Over 30 students have been removed from the campus of Independence High Magnet School over the last two days due to fighting, and they will not be allowed back at the school pending a disciplinary hearing for every student involved.
Tangipahoa Parish School Superintendent Melissa Stilley said 26 students were removed from campus for fighting on Tuesday (Oct. 22). An additional six students were removed this morning (Wed., Oct. 23) after another fight broke out during the start of classes on Wednesday.
Stilley said the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office and Independence Police have provided additional police presence on campus following the disturbance. During the fights, students were placed on “lock down,” a safety precaution that is used in cases involving heightened security during which no one is allowed to enter or leave the campus.
“Our team is following the procedures outlined in our school safety plan, and the students involved will face disciplinary action that could include placement at the Tangipahoa Alternative School or expulsion,” Stilley said. “We must to take a strong stance against students who choose to disrupt the learning environment and cause potential risk to the students and employees at the school. We will take every action possible to secure our campuses from these types of threats.”
The Superintendent said classes are going on as normal on campus at this hour, and she offered thanks to local law enforcement and the community for their cooperation during this investigation.
