What should have been a heartwarming celebration of young students’ achievements turned into a scene of chaos and disgrace on Wednesday, when a kindergarten graduation ceremony at Faulk Elementary erupted into a violent brawl between parents.Video footage from inside the school shows several adults throwing punches in a crowded hallway as frightened children scream and cry in the background. Some kids can be heard pleading “stop,” while other parents scramble to shield their children and remove them from the melee.What started as an argument quickly escalated, with both women and men caught in the fray. Two men initially appeared to attempt to break up the fight but soon joined the chaos, throwing punches of their own, according to video obtained by WREG.‘Unacceptable behaviour’No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fight has not been publicly disclosed. However, the spectacle has triggered widespread outrage among community members and officials alike.“It shouldn’t be happening around children — especially,” said one West Memphis resident. “These are grown folks at a kids’ graduation. It shouldn’t be happening at all. All of them need to be held accountable.”Superintendent Eric Foister of the West Memphis School District didn’t hold back his condemnation, calling the behaviour “unacceptable” and vowing consequences for those involved.“We have our own camera system with sound,” Foister said. “We have gathered all that. Obviously, we are a small community, so we have the names.”Legal action & bansThe district has since identified five adults involved in the brawl and handed their names over to the West Memphis Police Department. While no arrests have been made yet, Foister said legal action is imminent.“You come into our buildings and put the safety and well-being of our students and staff in jeopardy, I’m going to hold you to the fullest accountability,” he told Fox 13 Memphis. “I’m going to press any and all charges that I can.”In addition to pursuing legal consequences, the school has issued immediate bans for the offending adults, restricting them from entering school property.“If you’re a parent, the only access you’ll have is to drop your child off and pick them up. We’re not going to punish the child for the parents’ actions,” Foister clarified.‘Zero tolerance’The West Memphis School District reiterated its zero-tolerance policy for violence and disruptions on school grounds in a statement released Thursday.“The safety and security of our students, staff, and school campuses remain our top priority,” the statement read. “We have zero tolerance for any behavior by parents, students, staff, or visitors that disrupts the learning environment or threatens the well-being of anyone on school grounds.”
