SUMTER COUNTY, S.C. (WACH) - Sumter County school officials have suspended eight middle school students after a video showing a student fight surfaced on the internet.
The video, which shows two Hillcrest Middle School students fighting in a school bathroom, went viral over the weekend drawing outrage from parents.
The 39-second video, posted to Facebook and Youtube, showed two boys throwing punches and slamming each other against walls.
"Saturday morning I received the video. It tore my world apart," said Yolanda Smith. "It made me sick to my stomach seeing my son thrown around like a ragdoll."
Earlier this week, parents held two rallies demanding that educators put a stop to bullying.
However, the video does not appear to be a case of bullying. Law enforcement determined there was no criminal activity in the online video, and late Monday released the full video which is roughly twice the length of the original 39-second version that went viral. The longer video shows both students shaking hands before the recorded fight began.
Although the case doesn't appear to be a bullying situation it has opened up discussion on the issue.
"I asked students today, where does bullying occur? Anywhere and everywhere is what they told me," said Kathy Morrison, an intervention specialist with the Sumter County School District.
Morrison says she does not see a "problem" with bullying in the school district, but, urges all parent and educators everywhere to watch for warning signs that a young person could show if they are being bullied.
A child's personality could change and they could be withdrawn. They may try to avoid going to school altogether or stay away from certain people and activities they previously enjoyed.
Morrison says it is important for parents to have an open dialogue with their children about what's going on in their lives so a young student will feel comfortable telling them about a problem.
"They can feel embarassed, or guilty, or think there's something different about them," said Morrison. "Many times they think reporting it will make it worse. "Parents need to understand that the situation of reporting may be difficult for the child and that they may have to be the ones to report it."
The eight Hillcrest Middle School students are suspended pending an April 18 discplinary hearing. It is possible they could face expulsion.