Fights Investigated At Hamden High, Students Report Feeling Unsafe

HAMDEN, CT — Officials are investigating after several fights broke out at the same time at Hamden High School on Monday.

Superintendent of Schools Gary Highsmith addressed the incident during Tuesday’s Board of Education meeting.

Highsmith said that three to four fights “broke out nearly simultaneously” in different parts of the building. Security and administration responded to each incident, and Highsmith said the school resource officer from Hamden Middle School also responded because the high school’s regular SRO was out for training that day.

Several Hamden police officers also responded to the high school.

Highsmith said it was “one of the most disruptive days we’ve had in some time at the high school, and it impacted nearly 1,800 students – the learning of 1,800 students.”

Since the incident involved so many students, Highsmith said that administrators and police were still investigating to determine if there are remaining students “who are culpable.”

Highsmith said police are also investigating to see “whether or not this was coordinated, whether it was connected to any prior school or community-based issues between these students.”

“And whether it was connected to a social media trend, called air-out day, in which you ‘air out’ your grievances with the so-called opponent,” Highsmith said.

Highsmith also said that they couldn’t speak publicly about any possible disciplinary actions, because they don’t want to violate the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

Highsmith said that high school administrators are “working diligently to make sure they investigate thoroughly.”

“We think we have a good idea of what happened and who’s involved,” Highsmith said. “But we expect any number of students to face pretty significant disciplinary consequences as a result.”

Matilda Ryder, a student representative to the Board of Education, told the board that she’s heard from an “outpouring of students” that they feel unsafe after the fights.

“I just want to urge the district to take actions to improve that, whether or not that’s reviewing the implementation of the phone policy, or changing how we do certain things at the high school,” Ryder said. “I do think actions need to be taken.”

Kalu Ogbaa, another BOE student representative, said an Advanced Placement music theory exam needed to be rescheduled because of the fights. An AP calculus exam was also taking place when the fights broke out, he said.