DA Still Investigating Alleged 'Fight Club' At Cloverdale High

SANTA ROSA, CA — Sonoma County prosecutors are further investigating allegations that a Cloverdale High School teacher allowed and refereed a "fight club" for male students in his classroom. Federico Vargas, 41, of Santa Rosa, was arrested March 9 and booked in the Sonoma County Jail on 13 counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and five counts of endangering children, Cloverdale police said.

Vargas posted bail and was released. He appeared in Sonoma County Superior Court Tuesday morning, and his next court date is April 15 for possible filing of charges.

School officials notified police on March 7 of an alleged "fight club" for students at the school, Sgt. Chris Parker said.

There were multiple fights and student injuries, and one injury required medical treatment, Parker said. One of the fights was recorded on a student's cellphone, Parker said.

Cloverdale Union School District Superintendent Jeremy Decker said Vargas' class size was 12 or 13 male and female students. There are 400 to 450 students at Cloverdale High School, Decker said.

Vargas, a special education teacher, has been placed on leave, Decker said. Vargas has been with the school district eight years.

Decker said school officials learned about the fights through an employee and rumors from students. According to Decker, the fights occurred during a few class periods on March 4 and 5.

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— Bay City News Service