HOPEWELL, Va. -- A teacher was hurt while he broke up a fight between two girls Tuesday morning at Hopewell High School. The teacher was taken to the hospital with a shoulder injury, emergency officials said.
The teacher was injured when one of the students shoved him and he fell to the ground. The school administration is calling it a "verbal altercation."
The 16-year-old student accused of shoving the teacher was charged with misdemeanor simple assault, according to police.
Students at the school said they're not surprised about a fight but they are concerned the teacher was injured.
"He's a good teacher, like a pretty cool guy, I don't see why anybody would do that to a teacher, that's just really wrong," said senior high school student Jacob Jones.
"It appears they were separated by teachers, coaches and a lot of school officials," said Chief John Keohane, Hopewell Police Chief. "One of the students decided to re-engage and went after the other female and the teacher stepped in and was pushed to the ground."
"Sounds like he took a hard fall, was in pain when he was loaded up to go to the hospital," Keohane said.
Some parents said they're confident the school system will handle the situation correctly.
"We've got a great principal, we've got a very reasonable, disciplined principal and I feel sure he will take whatever measures it takes to keep this from happening again or do everything he can to keep it from happening."
