DALLAS - WORKERS at a high school staged fights among troubled students, making them settle their differences with bare-knuckled brawls in a steel utility cage inside a boys locker room, school district documents show.
The principal and other employees at South Oak Cliff High 'knew of the practice, allowed it to go on for a time, and failed to report it,' according to a 2008 report.
Dallas schools Superintendent Michael Hinojosa confirmed that there were 'some things that happened inside of a cage' and called the fights 'unacceptable.' No criminal charged have been filed in the case.
Former Principal Donald Moten denied the allegations, saying he had nothing to comment on because the fights never happened.
'That's barbaric. You can't do that at a high school. You can't do that anywhere,' said Mr Moten, who resigned in 2008.
'It was gladiator-style entertainment for the staff,' said former South Oak Cliff employee Frank Hammond.
'They were taking these boys downstairs to fight. And it was sanctioned by the principal and security.'
A district spokesman declined additional comment Thursday. -- AP
