A high school chemistry teacher in Albuquerque, New Mexico, announced to her class that she had a surprise for them.
Swords!
Real Swords!!
A rapier and a katana-style sword to be precise.
She paired the students off and let them go at on a two minute timer.
This seemed like a grand plan until one of them tried to cut a girl's hand off. Blood started gushing everywhere, and the teacher reportedly responded, "Well, I'm in trouble." Then she told the students to quickly delete the videos from their phones.
Clearly, someone talked about fight club because the videos ended up on the news:
With blood everywhere, the teacher tried to call the school nurse but wasn't sure how to.
As (the teen) began to feel nauseous and weak from blood loss, another student ran to the VVHS health office for medical assistance.
30 minutes later, a staff member of the health office (aka the school nurse) called 911.
The teacher no longer works for the school, as she was fired two months later on July 30, 2022, Monica Armenta, the executive director of communications for Albuquerque Public Schools, told McClatchy News on Feb. 27.
Two months later?
I mean, you'd think that running a fight club with swords might result in faster disciplinary action.
The girl who had her hand nearly hewn from her arm ended up going through multiple surgeries and physical therapy. Her family is suing the school, and I'm pretty sure the school will settle.
On a personal note, this story hits close to home because I too once fought in a high school fight club with swords.
I had an English teacher bring real swords to class and had us all go at it.
We battled each other in a ring of desks just like the one in the video, while she sat cross-legged on a stool and read La Morte d'Arthur to us.
The difference is that my teacher was the top-rated fencer in the state. She knew what she was doing. She provided foils, protective gear, and taught us how to attack and parry, feint, and flunge.
Perhaps most importantly, parents were required to sign permission slips for us to participate.
It was a grand time, and no one went to the hospital.
All that to say:
Teachers, if you're going to bring swords to class for your students, do it right.
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