Orange County school districts, parents, leaders unite to crack down on rising teen violence

Monroe-Woodbury officials are taking the violence seriously. The district just hired a former state police commander for its new security director.

News 12 Staff

Dec 16, 2021, 10:44 PM

Updated 1,028 days ago

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Districts, parents and community leaders in Orange County are joining forces to crack down on the unprecedented rise in violence among teens.
Daily videos show violence in cafeterias, hallways, bathrooms and even after class.
In Monroe-Woodbury, News 12 found an Instagram page for a fight-club with kids as young as middle school.
"We have to get a handle on things and make sure we are sending a message," says Monroe Supervisor Tony Cardone.
Monroe-Woodbury officials are taking the violence seriously. The district just hired a former state police commander for its new security director.
In Newburgh, parents are taking a stand. One mother started an Instagram to keep parents aware of what's going on. She asked News 12 keep her identity private to protect her teenage student.
"Parents should come together. If we come together - more numbers, more voices – someone has to hear us," she says.
Middletown is cracking down with no tolerance policies and Newburgh administration is planning to add more security, building safety assessments and student assemblies about appropriate behavior.
Educators say reasons behind the behavior are complex, but the solution is simple.
"We need to get back to a cultural aspect of respect, discipline," says Cardone.