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Parents concerned that Arsenal Tech population may be causing fights

Posted at 6:36 PM, Aug 17, 2018
and last updated 2018-08-17 18:52:27-04

INDIANAPOLIS -- Parents of students at Arsenal Tech are concerned that the fact that the student body has nearly doubled since last year may be partly to blame for a series of fights that ended with 13 students arrested and eight treated for injuries on Thursday.

Arsenal Tech High School had 1,800 students for the 2017-18 school year. This year, however, the school is home to nearly 3,000 students after Indianapolis Public Schools decided to close three of its seven high schools.

READ | 13 students arrested, 8 injured after series of fights at Arsenal Tech

But a spokesperson for IPS says Arsenal Tech still isn’t at capacity.

Tim Nation, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Peace Learning Center, says his group was asked by IPS to work with the remaining four high schools on conflict resolution as they complete the transition this year.

“Although these four schools were her last year, they are different. Some have been increased by 400 even 1200 students,” said Nation “They have new staff, new students. Peace Learning Center has been working with these schools to have a whole new culture in these schools.”

READ | Mother keeps son out of Arsenal Tech afterfight

He says it’s not uncommon for incidents to happen at the beginning of any school year, and the increased student body may not have been the cause, but it does make those incidents seem even bigger.

“It’s unfortunate right now with summer over and school starting back up, sometimes there will be scuffles and fights. Those are things we try to work on,” said Nation.  

The Peace Learning Center will continue working with students throughout the school year. Nation says their goal is to teach kids to take a breath and relax when faced with a situation that has them angry.

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