Grand Blanc Students Could Get Hit with $500 Fine for Fighting

It looks like the Grand Blanc Police Department has a new plan to crack down on fights at school. One that could hit students right in the wallet.

This isn’t anything new. School fights have been a problem for a while. When my son attended Grand Blanc High School, he’d come home all the time talking about fights. Either ones that had just happened or ones that were about to.

This wasn’t just once in a while, it was all the time. So much so that I started having a hard time believing him. But according to a recent article from MLive, it turns out he was telling the truth.

During the 2023-24 school year, which was my kid’s final year at Grand Blanc, Police Chief Brian Lipe said there were over 82 fights on school property and another 81 altercations that were broken up before things got physical. You see what I mean? It was out of control.

And it hasn’t stopped. So far this year, they’ve already had to deal with 33 fights and have broken up another 47 before they even started.

City Council recently approved a new ordinance that will fine students for fighting on school grounds. The rule, which goes into effect on April 2, means students caught fighting could be fined $200, and repeat offenders could face penalties as high as $500.

The fines will be treated as civil infractions, meaning they won’t impact a student’s driving record or go on their criminal history. Some students may not even face a fine if a judge decides on community service instead.

Will this work? I guess we'll find out in the coming weeks. Either way, at least they're trying to fix the issue.