<< My horrible fight

By Ashley Zartner, 15, Bell HS and Editors Mike Fricano and Libby Hartigan
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"I’d just tell somebody that somebody’s been threatening me. I don’t want to make everything much worse."
—Jacqueline Linares, 13, Virgil MS

"I would like give them attitude. I won’t fight."
—Carmen Barron, 13, Virgil MS

"I’d tell somebody. I don’t want to get in trouble."
—Rosenda Martinez, 13, Virgil MS

"I don’t know. I’d threaten them back."
—Daniel Benammar, 13, Virgil MS

"I would think about what they said, but I wouldn’t respond right away. Threats don’t bother me. If it got too serious though, I would respond."
—Henry Hunter, 17, Dominguez HS

"I’d tell them to come to the back and then it’d be over."
—Jamal Glaspie, 17, Dominguez HS

"I’d take them around the corner and talk to them with my hands and not my mouth so he can learn his lesson."
—Christopher Logeman, 16, Dominguez HS

"I’d walk away. He’s doing something stupid and I’d be doing something smart."
—Carlos Boquin, 15, Dominguez HS

"Walk away because it’d be like if we start fighting then he’s going to look for you (later)."
—Marcus Amezquita, 16, Eco-Academy Charter HS

"I’ll crack that fool because he violently insulted me. I’ve got to keep my pride up."
—Jason Vasquez, 17, Eco-Academy Charter HS

"If they keep messing with me I’m just going to fight him."
—Kenroy Welch, 13, Eco-Academy Charter HS

"If it was a fight you’d eventually have to handle it because if you don’t then the problem is going to continue."
—Art Cruz, 15, Eco-Academy Charter HS

"I’ll try talking to that person, I’ll try avoiding it but I if I have to, I guess I’ll handle it around the corner or in a park."
—Hector Enciso, 17, Community Youth

"I’d try to handle it as professionally as possible—I’d talk to a guidance counselor, a teacher or a principal—but if it came down to it, and they are fighting me, of course I’m not going to let them hit me. I’d fight back."
—Jean Bell, 17, City of Angels (home study)

"This one girl was mad at me and I tried to talk to her, but she was like, ‘Whatever, I still wanna kick you’re a__.’ She was twice my size, but I wasn’t really scared. She’s not that tough—she’s just doing that to fit in. We started to fight and security came and took us to the dean’s office. They told us that if we didn’t end it right there, they were going to OT us right there [opportunity transfer]."
—Cindy Contreras, 16, Fremont HS

"They fight over the stupidest things in my school, like if they think you’re too pretty, too smart or better than they are. They’ll fight you if they like your shoes. Once I got my report card and I got straight As. I showed it to my teacher and he passed it around to all the students. From that day on, this one girl didn’t like me. She’d say bad things whenever she passed me in the hall. One day I tried to talk to her. I explained that it wasn’t my fault that I got better grades, that it didn’t mean I was smarter. I told her she could get just as good grades if she would try harder. After that she was OK with me. We’re not friends, but she doesn’t hate me."
—Esther Cuevas, 17, Fremont HS

"I’m a no-fight person. I would never throw a fist. I’d probably run away. I’d go to my guidance counselor or my mom or something."
—Katherine Lam, 14, Ramona Convent

"Notify an adult, preferably a teacher/dean/counselor. It’s always good to know the first name of the person so it’s easier to locate them. The dean’s office uses a book of mugshots [with every student’s picture]."
—Rolf Janssen, Assistant Principal Bell High School

"Sometimes the only thing to do is fight back. You have to be able to defend yourself and not be humiliated. Then they leave you alone."
—Hakop Aladzhadzhyan, 13, Roosevelt MS

Photos and quotes gathered by Ashley Zartner, 15, Bell HS, Managing Editor Libby Hartigan and Associate Editor Mike Fricano