Video Shows Black Female Student Being Punched By White Vice Principal During Altercation On School Bus

A student attacked an assistant principal at James Clemens High School in Madison, Alabama. The superintendent of Madison City Schools, Ed Nichols, affirms the incident happened on Dec. 15, as the AP attempted to break up a fight on a school bus.

The video is age restricted but can be seen on YouTube, and it shows that another student attempted to intervene when he saw the female student was hit.

The assistant principal was struck in the back of the head six to 10 times by one of the students involved in the fight, according to Nichols, who spoke at a press conference last Thursday morning. The school system is choosing not to release the assistant principal’s name at this time.

In addition, the student bit the assistant principal on the arm, breaking the skin through his long sleeve shirt and leaving a bloody wound, according to Nichols. As buses were loading at James Clemens on Wednesday at 3:40 p.m., the fight broke out, and that’s when the incident happened.

Students recorded the incident and shared it online, showing the assistant principal striking the student. The assistant principal, according to Nichols, thought he was in danger. Nichols explained the school would not punish administrators involved in the incident.

“While we hate the altercation happened, we don’t ever want altercations between students. We also know that there comes a point in time — we’ll provide you with pictures of the injury this administrator received — that they have to have an opportunity to defend themselves from further harm,” Nichols said in the press statement.

“The assistant principal felt the need to protect himself, and he did so,” he added.

According to Nichols, the students have been suspended, and the Madison police have been called to investigate the incident. Nichols also said that Limestone County Sheriff Joshua McLaughlin would be informed later on Thursday. State law mandates that the sheriff be notified whenever a school employee is assaulted.

Nichols shared that the incident was only briefly captured on camera from a three-minute-long event, and the current videos do not accurately portray what took place.

He suggested that school officials at the school tried their best to break up the altercation and had a right to defend themselves.

“(School officials) did everything they could to de-escalate,” Nichols noted. “I don’t want our employees to feel like they can’t protect themselves. They had no choice (but to step to break up the fight). They could not stand on the sidelines.”

After watching the incident’s video from the bus’ camera, Nichols said school officials had reviewed it. Administrators did not make the video available. He proceeded to describe the incident he saw precisely.

“Looking at the bus video, they followed through trying to diffuse (the situation),” Nichols said. “In fact, at one point, the administrator tried to separate the two students, had their backs completely to one of the students to keep them separated.”

“That’s when they were getting hit across the back of their head six to 10 times. They turned around, trying to keep that person at bay with their arms (crossed in a defensive position), at which time they were attacked twice on their arm,” he continued.

“While that was happening, another student behind him was hitting him and punching him in the back. So yes, they tried steps to do the diffusion and to try to separate the students throughout the process,” he continued.

Nichols replied “No” when AL.com asked him directly if any staff members would face punishment.

Nichols believes that the job of the school administration is challenging, and people are currently debating whether to work as bus drivers or teachers. Additionally, he said he would never advise someone being assaulted that they cannot protect themselves from further harm in his capacity as superintendent.

He also feels that people will be able to tell there was physical harm when they see the images (of the bite marks). 

“And so we don’t have any plans at this time to have any administrative action on them. We regret the incident happened. They regret the incident happened. But at the same time, they also did everything prior to what’s out there on social media to prevent any further escalation while they were taking bodily blows to their head and back and physical harm, Nichols said regarding the outcome.” 

Nichols has commented on the viral videos by saying that he is not surprised given how quickly information can spread on social media. Furthermore, the situational context is not accurately portrayed from what you see.