Fight between 2 OPRF students leaves security guard injured
Oak Park IL February 16 2023
A female security guard at Oak Park and River Forest High School was injured on Feb. 9 as she was trying to break up a fight between two students at the school.
The fight, part of which was captured on cell phone video, was first reported by local television station CBS Chicago.
The security guard, who reportedly sustained cuts on her head and an injury to her left arm while trying to break up the fight wants to press charges against the student or students who injured her.
A day after the fight OPRF Principal Lynda Parker sent an email to students and families informing them of the incident.
“We are writing to inform you that yesterday there was a fight between two students in which a Campus Safety staff member sustained an injury,” Parker wrote.
“The staff member received medical treatment, was released yesterday, and is expected to make a full recovery. Today it has been confirmed that charges have been filed and a police investigation is underway. The district is fully cooperating with the police.
“Physical violence in our school is unacceptable. The strictest consequences will be issued in accordance with our Behavior Education Plan which governs our response to student behavior. Please understand that due to student privacy restrictions, these are the only comments we can offer.”
The Oak Park Police Department is still investigating the fight.
CBS Chicago also reported that a male security guard was cut above the eye and needed stitches after intervening in another fight at the school during the same week as the Feb. 9 fight.
Last fall security guards, officially known as campus safety officers, complained to the school board about the difficulty of their jobs saying that that they were understaffed.
There was a large fight at OPRF on Nov. 1 that resulted in the school being placed on a soft lockdown for about an hour. Ten students received disciplinary consequences as a result of that fight.
