Videos capture fights, chaos outside Dobbins High School during school dismissal Wednesday

PHILADELPHIA - Police stepped up patrols at Dobbins High School on Thursday after a series of chaotic fights took place among students during dismissal Wednesday, according to the school principal. The incidents, which were captured on cell phones, spread quickly across social media and prompted school leaders to reach out to families seeking their partnership to resolve conflicts peacefully.

Stronger police response at Dobbins High after viral fights

School Principal Dr. Shervon Thompson sent a letter home to parents following Wednesday’s incident, saying the incident unfortunately unfolded despite proactive steps to keep the community safe and de-escalate the situation. The letter sent home notes that several staff members, school safety officers and police were on site, but the brawls still broke out.

Cell phone videos capturing the fighting, yelling and overall turmoil outside Dobbins High School Wednesday afternoon circulated widely online, leading to concern from parents. April McBride-McGlone, whose daughter is a junior at the school, said, "It’s just disheartening because we want better for our children, we want better for our community."

What we know:

McBride-McGlone says her daughter sent her videos from inside the school, showing fights amongst students, and told her mom it quickly escalated to the area outside where parents were present.

J Spaz, head chef at Lehigh Seafood and More, witnessed the event and said, "It was just chaos broke out in every direction, just chaos broke out in every direction." 

In a letter to families, Dr. Thompson wrote, "Student and staff safety is our highest priority every single day at Dobbins HS. We warmly encourage families to partner with us by openly sharing any information or concerns that could affect our scholars and school environment," adding, "We kindly ask that you talk with your student at home about positive ways to navigate conflict and make constructive choices."

Community urges involvement and improved safety discussions

Parents and witnesses say the incident has highlighted the need for families to take a more active role, and is not a reflection of the great programs happening inside the building.

"It’s unacceptable, it’s really unacceptable. These children they still are influenced by things that adults do, so I didn’t like it at all," said McBride-McGlone.  

Spaz echoed this call to action, saying, "It gotta start at home, the parents gotta have meetings at the school and meetings with other parents."

The principal announced a meeting for all parents and guardians Thursday morning to address concerns and discuss ongoing safety protocols.

What's next:

The parent meeting scheduled for Thursday morning will give families a chance to share concerns and help shape future safety measures.