S.C. MANNING – As a significant brawl between parents and students broke out on the school grounds, four Manning High School parents were detained.
The school’s main lobby saw a “brawl” between parents and kids on Tuesday around noon, according to the Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office.
Ashley Brock, 30, Santana Butler, 37, Andrea Walters, 35, and Ebony Hilton, 39, are four parents accused of engaging in disorderly public behavior.
“It’s really sad,” Lynn Robinson, a Manning High School grandparent, said. “I mean kids are going to get into it sometimes, but a lot of times they get that from home, the examples from home. And when the parents get into it also, it’s just getting sad. And it’s getting worse these days at all the schools with the shootings and stuff. You just don’t ever know what’s going to happen.”
According to an incident report, the battle started due to an earlier physical conflict between students. Parents were informed about the altercation in accordance with district policy.
Before school resource officers and administration could step in, the situation deteriorated when those parents arrived to pick up their kids from school.
Investigators found that parents and children had to be separated, held, and expelled from the school throughout the incident.
According to the incident report, deputies had to try to keep Brock and Hilton apart when they arrived.
Two other students joined in, and one repeatedly hit Brock in the face.
“It doesn’t make any sense fighting in school,” Former Manning High School parent and pastor Sampson Pearson remarked. “School is for where you get your academic education, not for violence. We have enough of that in the street as it is.”
EMS arrived to attend to Hilton’s wounds. The incident report stated that Walters attempted to fight her as Brock was led to a cop car.
An incident report states that Butler was detained because she would not stop yelling and screaming. She also made an effort to assault a female.
The CCSO reported that in addition to this significant altercation, there were two other student-involved fights on Tuesday.
The children were divided and taken to the CCSO, where the Department of Juvenile Justice received the petitions for Family Court, processed them, and then released them to their guardians or parents.
The family court received a petition alleging third-degree abuse and violence against five kids.
According to some people, the Manning High School community was surprised by this behavior.
“It sets a bad example for all the kids when they see their parents out there,” Robinson said.
According to Pearson, instances like these don’t bode well for Clarendon County.
“There has to be some type of change for we can’t have that here in our school,” he said.
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The Clarendon County School District sent WIS a statement on Wednesday regarding the incident.
It reads, “A physical altercation occurred at Manning High School on March 4, 2023, between two students. As protocol, parents were contacted. As parents were called to the school to pick up their students, an altercation between the parents ensued.
As with any student altercation, district policy was followed and the students have been disciplined for their role in the altercation.
Additionally, law enforcement is involved and an investigation has been conducted into the incident. Manning High School Administration handled the incident appropriately per district policy and the school returned to its normal schedule following the incident.
As always, the safety and well-being of our students are our top priority, and we do not tolerate any form of violence on our school grounds. We want to emphasize that this incident does not reflect the values of Manning High School or the Clarendon County School District as a whole. School administration takes all necessary steps to ensure appropriate disciplinary action is taken in any situation that disrupts the learning environment. We remain committed to creating a safe learning environment for all students.”
Patricia Gault is a seasoned journalist with years of experience in the industry. She has a passion for uncovering the truth and bringing important stories to light. Patricia has a sharp eye for detail and a talent for making complex issues accessible to a broad audience. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a commitment to accuracy and impartiality, earning a reputation as a reliable and trusted source of news.