LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Several Jefferson County Public Schools staff members were injured after a fight broke out at Fern Creek High School Thursday according to officials.
In a letter sent to parents, Principal Rebecca Nicolas said two students tried to start a fight with another student.
While attempting to de-escalate the situation, several staff members were injured, including one who went to the hospital to get stitches Nicholas said.
JCPS Board Member Sarah McIntosh (District 7) said schools across the district are experiencing more violent incidents involving students, and Fern Creek High is no exception.
McIntosh said the principal's message needs to make its way to the authority figures in kids' lives.
"Please remind your student that violence of any kind is not tolerated at our school. We all must work together to ensure Fern Creek High School remains a safe and welcoming environment for our entire school community," Nicolas said in the letter.
In general, teachers have said student behavior has played a role in people leaving the profession.
"It certainly makes it easier to walk away from the profession, without question," McIntosh said. "We need greater responsibility, whether it be from faith organizations, whether its parents, whether it's whoever the primary caretaker is of the children; they certainly don't come to school and learn these behaviors for the first time."
McIntosh added there needs to be more community support for educators and mental health services.
WHAS11 talked to retired Oldham County Schools superintendent Greg Schultz for perspective on what needs to change.
"We really need to focus on what is going to make a system successful and that has to be people willing to be there. And it's not just the teachers, it's the students and the families as well," he said.
Schultz says the community needs to show more support for educators. If not, the fear is these issues will only get worse.
"Teachers [have been] demonized for a lot of things that they weren't doing, that was spread out on social media -- or maybe there was one teacher that was doing it, and they all got painted with a broad brush," Schultz said. "Before we make a judgement, we actually have to go and sit in their classrooms and see what's going on."
JCPS Police cited the two students who started the fight at Fern Creek High School.
Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. For Apple or Android users.
Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.