GEORGETOWN, Del. - After three months Dr. Bradley Layfield, principal at Sussex Central High School, has broken his silence on the situation in May that led to school staff, including himself, being placed on administrative leave.
A statement issued by Thomas Neuberger, the lawyer representing Layfield, says Layfield is petitioning the board of the Indian River School District for the redress of grievances related to his name being tarnished by a "wrongful suspension" in May.
"This suspension is now 12 weeks old and the next school year is upon us. I have completed my investigation and I have concluded that there is no factual basis for this suspension," said Thomas Neuberger, a civil rights attorney representing Layfield. "It appears that the suspension mistakenly occurred because my client exercised his discretion on May 17 in sharing a surveillance video with professional staff with a need to know of a dangerous school fight, with racial overtones, that erupted that day."
According to a statement issued by Neuberger, two girls in the senior class fought with a third girl in the junior class in a crowded hallway just before the school day's opening bell on May 17. A school constable separated the seniors, who were then restrained by a custodian and assistant principal Aerin Donovan. The statement says the girl being held by Donovan jumped away and Donovan grabbed her shirt to hold on to her, which revealed one of the student's breasts before the girl covered it up and continued trying to fight.
"... School fights are a major unpublicized problem in this and other public school districts throughout the state of Delaware and they need to be controlled and prevented from escalating into serious injuries for any students," said the statement.
It continued to say that two radio calls for help were placed, though the fight had resolved by the time Layfield arrived. He began to investigate and found the junior and two state troopers, who were on the scene for unrelated criminal matters, in the school resource officer's office, where the troopers were reviewing surveillance footage and cell phone video. The other girls were in a separate office.
According to the statement, Donovan explained that one girl in the fight "fought herself free of her restraint, lunged to get back in the fight and exposed herself." Layfield viewed the security footage, which had been pulled by faculty member Matt Jones, on his desktop computer. The statement says that Layfield then reviewed the surveillance video at least four times during the day with about 11 people comprised of staff members, school district central office personnel and state police.
"Dr. Layfield reports that there have been countless fights where surveillance camera footage is shared with staff members to keep the school safe and protect students from further fights," said the statement issued by Layfield's lawyer. "Again, this is done to keep staff informed and safe on school dangers and to identify participants in the fights who are often unnamed and get away."
Neuberger called on the Indian River School district, if it believes Layfield committed an abuse of discretion, to warn Layfield, put a letter in his file and return him to his duties.
"Stop the rumors!" said Neuberger.
The Indian River School District says it continues to cooperate with law enforcement in the completion of their investigation. The district has no additional comment at this time.