A Baltimore County high school is cracking down on violence after shocking videos of massive student brawls went viral online. However, the looming question remains – will the students involved face criminal charges?
In April, Project Baltimore interviewed Steven Kronberg, a teacher at Loch Raven High School who found himself caught in the middle of one brutal fight. “I remember being on the floor looking up and the fight was still going on,” Kronberg recounted.
That disturbing incident was merely one in a string of violent melees that week. Another video showed a school assistant principal violently slammed into the front desk during a brawl in the main office, leaving her sprawled on the ground.
Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger acknowledged to Fox45 News that the severity of school fights has escalated alarmingly. “They have to be pretty bad fights for it to be referred to us,” he stated grimly.
The cellphone footage circulating online has laid bare the extent of the violence plaguing some students at Loch Raven High. Responding swiftly, the principal issued a stern newsletter warning that “fighting will not be tolerated” and that those recording videos would face “consequences.”
Furthermore, the principal vowed “swift disciplinary action and referrals to law enforcement” for violent offenders. Yet data from Project Baltimore reveals criminal charges in such cases are surprisingly rare.
An analysis of the latest Maryland Public Schools Student Arrest data found that in the 2022-23 school year, Baltimore County, with over 111,000 students, logged just 116 arrests. Of those, only 72 were for serious offenses like weapons possession, attacks on students or staff, and fighting.
Surprisingly, at the embattled Loch Raven High itself, only one student faced arrest last school year, though the offense was not specified.
Shellenberger explained the juvenile justice system favors rehabilitation over harsh punishment. “We need to help the juveniles when they’re 13, 14, 15,” he urged. “We need to help them then, so that I don’t see them again when they’re 18, and they’ve murdered somebody.”
If charges are brought against Loch Raven students, the cases will likely remain confidential unless they are charged as adults due to Maryland’s strict juvenile record sealing laws.
However, Shellenberger clarified that alleged victims maintain rights too. If Juvenile Services declines to refer a case to prosecutors, victims can still request the State’s Attorney review the incident for potential charges.
In the wake of the unrest, sources at Loch Raven High told Project Baltimore that central office administrators have increased their presence over the past two weeks, and no major fights have occurred.
As for Kronberg, the teacher embroiled in one of the brawls, he has been granted medical leave for the remainder of the school year and will not return to Loch Raven High.
The school’s firm stance signals administrators are serious about quelling the violence. But whether the students responsible ultimately face criminal consequences remains to be seen.