From Newsday.com, Thursday, December 2nd:
Five Half Hollow Hills High School East students who watched an after-school fight that was posted on YouTube have been suspended for a day because they failed to "take action" and contact teachers or other school authorities about the incident, school officials said Thursday.
The fight participants previously were suspended for five days, and the student who videotaped the incident and the student who posted it on YouTube had been suspended for one day, officials said.
District officials Thursday identified the bystanders, who were caught on external video cameras.
Those five students will return to school next week after serving the one-day suspension, school officials said. Their parents and guardians have been notified as well.
"We feel strongly that anyone witnessing an event that could potentially harm another needs to report that event. We feel that those who do not take action to protect others share some culpability for the occurrence and therefore need to be held accountable," said Sheldon Karnilow, superintendent of Half Hollow Hills Central School District.
A district spokeswoman called the incident "very bothersome" and said administrators and much of the student body were appalled by the actions of the students involved. Onlookers can be heard laughing and cheering on two boys who are fighting.
Some of the students alert the combatants to stop fighting when they realize a teacher is coming.
The fight took place after the 2 p.m. dismissal, officials said, but it was on school grounds.
"I don't want to say this happens every day at every school in America. But it happens frequently," district spokeswoman Chris Geed said. "But with the proliferation of social websites, it is sad but true that nowadays, young people think it is fun to post these things."
She added the trend was "very, very bothersome" because "sensationalizing violence like this is inappropriate and students need to understand that."
The video was posted Monday, not long after the fight occurred, and Geed said district officials learned about it via an e-mail Tuesday.
The district immediately suspended the two boys involved for five days each.
Officials also suspended for one day each the student who shot the video with a cell phone camera and the student who posted it.
District officials had been trying to identify onlookers who cheered on the fight. Geed said they violated a code of conduct every student is required to sign at the start of the school year that details appropriate and inappropriate behavior.
Students are required to notify a school official or teacher of inappropriate action, language or conduct, particularly fights, Geed said.
People can be heard on the video screaming that a teacher is coming and telling the two participants to stop fighting so they don't get caught.
A message from Karnilow posted on the district website Thursday morning said the district has a " 'no tolerance' policy when it comes to violent behavior."
Suffolk County police said no one reported the incident to police and that no one has been arrested.
Police said it would be up to the students involved in the fight or their parents to file a complaint, which would then be investigated.
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