'That’s a failure in all of our parts:' Alexandria mayor addresses student school altercations

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - "I think anytime our schools are closed, and they're not able to do their core mission, which is educating kids, that's a failure," said Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson on Thursday when he spoke with FOX 5.

Following a series of student altercations at the Alexandria City High School King Street Campus on Wednesday, Superintendent Dr. Melanie Kay-Wyatt announced that all high school campuses will transition to asynchronous online instruction for the remainder of the week.

"That’s a failure in all of our parts. That's a failure in every organization in the city that supports our youth," Wilson continued.

"What went wrong here and why"

"We have to look inside and figure out what went wrong here and why," he said. "We have students who are resorting to violence to solve their problems instead of constructive ways."

READ MORE: Alexandria City High School moves to virtual learning after clashes on campus

In a letter addressed to families, Dr. Kay-Wyatt described the incidents which resulted in injuries to students and staff as "disheartening and concerning." The school was placed on "hold status" for much of the afternoon to ensure safety while authorities investigated.

"Although these incidents involved a small number of students, such events are extremely disruptive to the educational environment and interrupt the focus on learning that our students deserve," Dr. Kay-Wyatt said.

The decision to move to remote instruction on Thursday, Dec. 19, and Friday, Dec. 20, stems from reports of potential additional conflicts among students. Dr. Kay-Wyatt emphasized the move as a precaution to prevent further disruptions and ensure safety.

Plans for additional measures

Wilson, whose daughter attends Alexandria City High School, said that the city's police department has made sure that the schools have the resources they need to keep the schools safe.

Dr. Kay-Wyatt announced plans for additional measures to address disruptive behavior, which will be implemented when staff and students return on Jan. 6, 2025. 

She promised "severe consequences" for future disruptions and said details of the plan would be shared with families before winter break begins on Dec. 20.