Videos show several fights at James Madison High School in Houston

The Houston Independent School District is responding to complaints of violence at James Madison High School after several fights were captured on cell phone video on school grounds.

Students tell FOX 26 News that fights are a part of the daily routine at the the school on White Heather Drive.

One video uploaded to Facebook shows a student throwing a desk across the classroom at another student. One student sent a video to FOX 26 showing a boy body slam a smaller boy onto the sidewalk outside the school building.

Another video sent to FOX 26 from a student shows a boy and girl punching each other repeatedly in the hallway. Yet another cell phone video shows two girls punching each other repeatedly and pulling each other's hair in a school hallway.

In another video, a boy punches another boy in the head, then the second boy knocks the first boy over, sits on him, and repeatedly punches his head while other students laugh and cheer as they watch. 

Students tell FOX 26 that all of the videos were shot in the last month at Madison High School.

"People getting jumped on for no reason," says Demetrius Parks, a Madison High School senior. "It's not just one fight a day. It's at least two fights a day."

"It's teachers getting hurt, students getting hurt, police officers getting hurt," says Marcus Anderson, another senior at the high school. "How many fights? It's like four or five a day."

"I have texts in my phone: He said, 'Grandma, it's two to three fights today,'" says Willie Parks, grandmother of Demetrius. "And I'm like, 'Okay, just make sure you're not involved. Just make sure you do what you need to do.' And he said, 'Okay.' And his grades are good."

Parks says eventually her grandson was targeted in one of the fights. She stopped by Madison High School this week to un-enroll him. 

"I just want him to go to school, get a good education, and get out of here," explains Parks, adding that Demetrius will be touring colleges in two weeks. "All this fighting, it's too many fights. It's just too many fights."

Houston ISD provided the following statement regarding the fights to FOX 26:

 

We take these situations very seriously and we work diligently to ensure the well-being of every child entrusted to our care. The school has aligned its wraparound resources to support the needs of the students. Two HISD Police officers are assigned to the school, where they work with campus administrators to foster relationships with students and staff, and monitor and patrol the campus as part of their mission to provide a safe learning environment for all students. Houston Police Department officers also provide additional campus support, when needed.

Students say they have seen the police officers on their campus become the target of the violence.

 

"Some officers got slammed," says Michael Harris, a senior at Madison High. 

 

"Yeah, officers done got pepper sprayed," says Anderson, adding that the students used pepper spray on the officers.