Parents in Pleasanton are demanding action after a video showing a violent fight between two middle schoolers was posted on social media.
The video showed a middle school girl throwing a classmate to the ground at a local library, then hitting and stomping on her head as other kids cheer
“This has to stop before a child is seriously hurt,” said Pleasanton resident Ghezal Beliakoff.
Beliakoff told NBC Bay Area Thursday that she was horrified when her daughter showed her the video. She later posted the video on the NextDoor app to raise awareness and she spoke out at Tuesday’s city council meeting.
"Our children are afraid to go to school. They’re afraid to use the bathroom and to walk alone to and from class,” Beliakoff said. “School is supposed to be their safe haven and not a place they fear from getting bullied or assaulted.”
“It’s disturbing. And we’re taking it very seriously,” said Patrick Gannon with the Pleasanton Unified School District.
The spokesperson for the Pleasanton Unified School District said "violence will not be tolerated." Though the incident took place across the street from Pleasanton middle school outside the city’s public library, administrators are taking action.
“They’re visiting classrooms all day today and this week talking to students about safe and responsible behavior, expectations, as well as consequences,” Gannon said.
“I have a son who is a fifth grader entering Pms next year and I’m terrified to send him there,” said Tiffany Carrion.
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Parents are giving city and school leaders an earful as they’re asking the city to consider funding more school resource officers.
“We pay a premium to live in the city and that is because we want our children to be in an environment where it’s safe to grow up and it’s safe to go to the schools,” Carrion said.
“I’m asking you tonight to budget and find additional resource officers at PMS and any other schools that need support from our city because it’s not being handled at the school level,” Parent Vicki Lamarge said.
City leaders said a joint meeting between the city and school board will take place in April, they hope to come up with a plan to keep student altercations like the one they went viral from happening.
