PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – The principal of Perry Traditional Academy is on leave after breaking up a fight between students on a school bus.
A source told KDKA’s Jennifer Borrasso principal Robert Frioni put a female student in a headlock while breaking up the fight along with a security officer last Wednesday. It’s unclear if that student was involved in the fight.
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“One boy came on the bus to fight another boy, and that’s all I really know,” said senior Machali Frazier, who was standing near the bus when the fight broke out.
The student was taken to Children’s Hospital, but there’s been no word on her condition or what her injuries were.
A spokesperson for Pittsburgh Public Schools confirmed a staff member was placed on administrative leave because of “staff actions while ending an altercation between students.” Because it was a personnel matter, Pittsburgh Public Schools had no further information.
Frazier said she was waiting for her PAT bus last Wednesday when the fight broke out on a nearby bus. Sources told KDKA-TV that Frioni got on the bus to break up the fight between the two students. A Childline report was filed and sent to Pittsburgh police.
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Frzier said she did not know why the students were fighting, but she showed KDKA some cell phone video of the fight.
“A lot of punches, and there is a lot of blood flying everywhere,” Frazier said. “They are trying to remove the female so they could get to the two boys fighting, which is very difficult because of the crowd of kids there.”
Frazier feels the matter needs to be investigated, but she defended Frioni.
“He comes to school with a smile every single day. He reaches everybody. He gives everybody equal respect,” the student said.
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All the mom of the student involved would say was she is “working with a lawyer.”
