When you see a fight, what is the first thing you would do?
For many teens, the answer would be to record it. Recording fights on phones has been a trend since the early 2000s, but the phenomenon of crowds gathering to watch fights dates back to Ancient Rome.
WorldStarHipHop, a website founded in 2005, is known for posting public fight videos, often accompanied by the crowd shouting “World Star!” Unfortunately, this trend went viral, and millions of students worldwide began following suit. Whenever a fight breaks out in schools, students pull out their phones, start recording, and shout “World Star!”
Allowing fights to be shared on social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat only amplifies the embarrassment and trauma that can result from these incidents.
In 2023, for instance, 14-year-old Adriana Olivia Kuch from New Jersey tragically took her own life after being brutally attacked in the hallway of Central Regional High School, and the video of her assault was posted online. Her father believes that bullying contributed to his daughter’s suicide, and he criticized the school for failing to call the police after the attack, even though he says Adriana had blacked out during the assault.
“It saddens me. I know it’s been happening on the internet for a long time, especially when something embarrassing happens—whether it’s a fight, a prank, or any humiliating experience. It leaves a lot of trauma for students to deal with,” says Mr. Miranda, Guidance Counselor in the Dean’s Office.
The school is aware that fight videos are shared on social media. Assistant Principal of Guidance, Ms. Mednick, shared her thoughts on how the administration addresses the issue. “I think it’s problematic for multiple reasons. Obviously, it reflects poorly on the school, but I also worry about how it impacts the students. For those involved, it’s something that could haunt them for the rest of their lives in a very negative way. It can be extremely embarrassing and traumatizing.”
Ms. Mednick also noted that students who witness these videos may feel unsafe at school. Although the school is aware that videos get posted online, it is often difficult to remove them once they’ve been shared. “Anytime we are aware of a situation like this, we try to work with the students involved to have these posts taken down. It’s not always easy, but whenever videos are posted on social media platforms where we can report them, we always make an effort to do so,” she explained.
When a fight occurs, the deans follow a specific protocol.
“First, we separate the students and try to remove them from the area of toxicity. We believe this is the best thing to do initially, and afterward, we put them in a room to calm down,” says Dean and Global History teacher, Mr. Rubin. “Then, we contact the students by pulling them out of class to ask about their intentions in recording the incident, including whether they plan to post it and the harm it could cause. We also contact their parents, as every student is a minor and they could face serious consequences.”
Fighting has long been ingrained in American culture. Sports like boxing and wrestling are celebrated and watched by millions every year. In the age of social media, however, everything—including fights—quickly becomes viral. Whether it’s during a road rage incident, in a nightclub, or in a school building, if a fight happens, it’s almost certain to be shared online.
How do students at this school feel about fights?
How do we feel about this?
Recording school fights perpetuates a harmful cycle by glorifying violence, normalizing aggressive behavior, and violating the privacy and dignity of those involved. Sharing fight videos can lead to cyberbullying, damage the reputations of the victims, and create a hostile and unsafe environment in our school.
Discouraging the recording of school fights can help foster empathy, understanding, and cooperation among students. By discouraging this behavior, we also encourage students to seek peaceful resolutions to conflicts rather than resorting to violence for attention or validation.
