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Parents raise concerns over fights at Azle High School after deadly Frisco stabbing

Following a deadly stabbing fight in Frisco ISD earlier this week, parents in Azle ISD are voicing concerns about what they say is an alarming pattern of violence at Azle High School — frequent fights on campus that are filmed and circulated on social media.

Unprovoked attacks

Kimberly Bush, the mother of a freshman at Azle High, said she made the difficult decision to pull her son out of school in February after he became the target of unprovoked attacks.

"At first he loved it," Bush said, holding back tears. "Then he just started getting tortured."

Coordinated fights?

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CBS News Texas

Bush and other parents say the fights often appear coordinated, with students standing by to record the violence and share the videos in private social media pages online. One page features at least 40 fight videos and has more than 2,000 followers.

"You beat them up once, and then they have to relive it and see it on the internet," Bush said.

Working to eliminate accounts

Azle ISD confirmed it is aware of the social media accounts and is working to have them taken down. The district also stated that some of the videos are old or were recorded off school property, but parents say it only proves how long the fighting has been going on.

"How can these be old videos if we're telling you this is happening now?" Bush said.

Special needs student punched

Sasha Ward, another Azle parent, said her son, who has special needs, was punched last month.

"My son was slugged twice in the face before he tried to defend himself," she said. "He said, 'I don't want to fight you,' and then — bam — right in the face. That's second-degree assault."

Another grandmother said her granddaughter was beaten to the ground while trying to catch the bus before spring break.

"They were beating on her, kicking her, pulling her hair out," said Donna Newell. "I took her to the hospital and she had a sprained neck."

At least nine fights

The school principal told CBS News Texas that, without pulling full reports, the school has recorded at least nine fights so far this year. However, parents believe the actual number is higher, saying some incidents may not have been officially reported.

Azle ISD said it investigates every fight and disciplines students accordingly, which may include DAEP placement or police involvement, but many families say the consequences are not enough.

"You're there to protect our children, and you're not protecting our kids," said Ward. "There has to be more consequences."

Increased police presence

The district said it has increased police presence on campus during key times of the day. Officials also urged students to report any suspicious behavior or potential threats.

Still, parents fear that unless something changes, the violence could have tragic consequences.

"Just like the boy on Wednesday," Ward said, referring to the deadly incident in Frisco. "Do they not realize they could have killed her?"

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