A fight-free campus is essential for fostering a non-disruptive learning environment for students. To reduce fighting, the school administration must take steps beyond the current Fight Free Campus Challenge (FFCC), and students need to stop sensationalizing fights. Compared to the 2022-23 school year, which had 21 fights on campus, there have already been 30 fights from the start of FFCC on October 13, 2023, to May 21, 2024, according to MHS administration.
To reduce fighting, administration needs to draw attention to the issue school-wide. We commend Principal Wohlman for dedicating time to promoting the FFCC by introducing the initiative to students in the theater; however, the FFCC has remained an initiative almost exclusively promoted by Wohlman.
Other staff, especially teachers, need to become involved and speak against fighting, possibly by promoting the FFCC or another project inside their classrooms. Because teachers often have a closer connection with students than administration and can more directly engage with students, students may be more willing to listen.
In addition, MHS can hire behavior coaches for students who have fought, as less than 2% of students (48 students from October 13, 2023, to May 21, 2024) at MHS have participated in fights. The FFCC presents a broad message that many can support, but few can directly have any impact on the issue. Behavior coaches improve school climate by addressing behavioral challenges and teaching students emotional management skills, according to the article “What Does a School Behavior Coach Do?” on the Education Service Center Region 13 website.
Nearby school districts are already looking into mental health and counseling services to reduce fighting. Palo Alto Unified School District, for example, has hired 12 new behavioral intervention coaches for the school sites and fully staffed a second therapeutic services program at Fletcher Middle School in 2023 as part of its plan to address student violence and other harmful behaviors, according to the article “Palo Alto Unified Sets Forth Plan for Preventing Violence” on the Palo Alto Weekly website.
We understand that there have been recent hurdles in funding for MUSD, but the district leadership needs to consider its priorities. The safety of students should be the school’s number one priority, and we need to continue allocating resources to reduce fighting on campus.
Moreover, students can help reduce fighting by reducing the sensation around it. During a fight, students often take videos instead of calling for help. These videos are spread for entertainment, thus making fights considered unserious even though it can have significant consequences on students’ mental and physical health. A culture that treats fights as spectacles will create more fights, leading to an unsafe school environment.
While there have been attempts to reduce fighting at MHS, there is still not enough participation in the FFCC from both staff and students to stop fighting significantly. By implementing more specific programs and encouraging participation from teachers and students, we can change the culture at MHS and have a safer environment for all.