A group of dads showed up at a Louisiana high school in an attempt to foster peace among the students.
According to reports, massive fights have been taking place at a Louisiana high school for weeks. And the parents of the students enrolled at the school couldn't help but be concerned for their children.
Michael LaFitte launched a group called Dads on Duty that saw at least 40 fathers sign up and take shifts patrolling Southwood High School in Shreveport.
Since LaFitte launched Dads on Duty last month, no violent altercations have taken place at the school. This was a stark difference compared to a couple of weeks ago when 23 students were arrested in a span of three days.
How 'Dads on Duty' helped Southwood High School
Fourteen other students were also arrested last month after two fights broke out on the school grounds. The school's resource officer had to call for backup from police, according to Fox News.
Reports also revealed that the Dads on Duty patrolling the school did not just help prevent violence among students, they also cracked jokes with the kids. That's why everyone seems happier and more peaceful while in school. The dads claimed that some of the students are embarrassed when they call them out. However, they do so while exercising tough love.
According to Revolt, no one from Dads on Duty received formal school counseling or criminal justice training. But they seem very happy and proud of what they have contributed to the school thus far.
The dads also said they want to be father figures for the students in school because not all of them have a father at home. So, being with the students makes a big difference.
Southwood Principal Kim Pendleton also said that the kids love having the dads on campus because they are familiar faces from their neighborhoods and churches, according to Kiro 7.
Southwood HS students arrested over gang-related crimes
Last month, a 14-year-old student was arrested and charged with terrorizing the school following his social media post on gun violence. He was booked at the Caddo Juvenile Detention Center.
A week earlier, a group of students was also arrested after they started fights with their peers.
"There is no room for gang fights and violence in our schools. Students that want an education should be provided an environment conducive for education," Caddo Parish Sheriff Steve Prator said via Ark Latex.
Three days earlier, Prator appeared in a news conference where he helped layout plans to address the ongoing violence at Southwood High School. This includes random searches using metal detectors and increasing security on campus and during athletic events.
At the time, Prator said that the students were bringing their neighborhood fights into the school. And some of them are part of gangs from Cedar Grove and different areas of town that bump into each other at school.
Caddo School Superintendent Dr. Goree said that he thinks school violence results from the students shifting back to traditional learning after having online classes for months.
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