The principal of Clark Middle School in Anchorage, which critics have dubbed “Fight Club,” has been recognized by her peers for excellence.
The Anchorage School District said it is proud of Bennetta Orchitt, who was named Alaska Association of Secondary School Principals’ Region IV Principal of the Year.
“An educator for 15 years, Principal Orchitt’s staff share that she has a balance of common sense, proper procedures and protocol that has earned the love, trust, and support of her entire staff and student body.”
Well, maybe not all of the student body.
One student’s body was beaten badly by a gang of girls last month. She is still recovering from injuries and has been threatened by students that if she returns to Clark Middle School, she’ll “get jumped” again.
The girl’s story was told at Must Read Alaska last week: She was standing in the gymnasium during class when a group approached her and started punching, kicking her body, and pulling her hair. These were girls who had, according to accounts, threatened her in the past and called her race-related names and words like “albino.”
The attackers had been let out of school early and had come to the gym apparently for the purpose of targeting and beating up the girl. The beating continued until a teacher finally intervened. Two of the girls have since been charged with assault; others may be charged as well. The original story is here:
The mother of the girl told Must Read Alaska that she had reached out to the principal several times over weeks starting in January, when her daughter was first enrolled, to share her concerns about her daughter being bullied, but it took over a dozen contacts with the school administration before she could even meet with the principal. She does not feel the school had taken the threats seriously.
New video has emerged showing the attack from a different angle:
Other parents have since reached out to the mother saying they have videos from the incident that show other students were involved in kicking the girl. Parents with children at Clark have also reached out to the mother to relay their children’s similar safety issues.
Listen to the mother, Natasha Guthrie, talk about the conditions of violence and lack of accountability by faculty at Clark Middle School in this Instagram link. Or watch the video here:
Clark Middle School has a history of violence. Last year the campus was locked down after a major fight broke out that was not controllable by campus security and required several police officers to come in to bring order.
“It has been amazing the number of people who have reached out and who want to join in and speak out. The community support and outpour of has been absolutely amazing. Every time someone calls me I’m in tears because of the things that they say, and the help they offer,” Guthrie said.
I hope this parent sues the school and the individual adults present in the gym. The girls involved need to all be in jail. They are old enough to know better, try them as adults. These things will not be resolved until the punishment for the crime(s) is severe enough to hurt.
Where is the state AG ?
Where is APD Have there been arrests in this incident?
I time to teach your son or daughter to fight back and no longer tell
someone, Cause it is evidence that these school employees did NOTHING
If the Principal can’t control the students and their behavior then he should be removed from his position.
“If the Principal can’t control the students and their behavior then he should be removed from his position.”
Really Trom? Then we best get rid of every principal in the state.
The problem of teen violence in school goes far beyond Clark. Certainly far beyond a 15 year dedicated educator who has obviously chose to be part of the solution.
While the moms outrage is understandable, she should be introspective and ask what part of this she played. Whats going on in the home? What values are being taught? It appears that there is a lack of accountability and victimization pouring off of her soapbox. There appears to be a lot of talking and no listening….Seems I recall her daughter being accused of having a “big mouth”. from other threads/comments. Apple…tree…dig? Her daughter has a history of fighting and other behaviors. This is not isolated, and certainly not one sided. Mom sure seems to think its everyone else’s fault though. We have the most control in our home…but when my teens are “determined”, I tend to loose that battle. Let alone when a horde of estrogen makes up their mind.
Every single one needs to be in Juvie or Jail. This is where you are treated like an adult. They knew exactly what they were doing. Fire that principle and make this school an example of what will not be tolerated. Disgusting all the videos being shown … Why did no one attempt to stop it?? Too busy videoing for Facebook?
In my opinion, everyone there, except the poor girl that was beaten, are responsible for doing NOTHING! Is this what life has come to? No one has integrity to stand up for what is right? Yeah this has lawsuit written ALL over it!
This is my God daughter. The mom is going after the teachers the principal and the school board. I wish I was closer bc I would be at that school every day making sure that school know I’m not backing down
I have to point something out. This mother has money to put her daughter into an Online Private/homeschool schooling paying tuition. Those two big dogs care and feeding is the equivalent what I pay each month for my online homeschooling, which is 200 per month over 10 months on the 15th. There are a lot more Anchorage ASD parents wasting money on other pets and things that can be directed into paying for an online private school/homeschool, so Anchorage kids don’t have to grow up dummies and poop-heads because they attended ASD. Cause that’s what her daughter, the attackers, and any kid enrolled at ASD are growing up to be a dummy and poop-head just like who is hired at the schools.
ASD don’t have to live with your child for the remainder of their lives, the parents will. Think about your getting older, and you need you child to know how to look after you when you can’t. If a child can’t look after themselves because of a poor education, they won’t be able to look after you.
She was at a family member’s house. WHT does having dogs or money have to do with the VIOLENCE THIS SCHOOL IS SUBJECTING THEIR STUDENTS TO?????
Frfr
You missed the point
Jen, It would help if she and her daughter also got a FULL PFD! Many parents used the full PFD to send their kids to a private school. But now the Education Industry and its cohort legislators are absconding with it.
Not everyone can afford that she was only going to that school bc her mom was tboned n couldn’t get her to her org school. So all the parents,kids, and teaches that condoned this and did nothing to help when should all be found guilty for a hate crime and assault. I so wish I was closer bc my boot will be so far up someone ass right now. You don’t mess with my family like this. I’m a country redneck that u don’t want to mess with
You know Jen, people’s circumstance are all different and they make decisions that fit THEIR lives with the information they have at the moment. You make decisions that work for you, so can your commentary, as it is wholly besides the point. Blaming the parent and the child indirectly for the beating is asinine.
Schools are supposed to be a place of learning and the teachers and staff are supposed to facilitate a secure learning environment. This mom had a reasonable expectation that teachers and staff would keep things under control and maintain discipline. That is clearly not the case, as we have learned from commentary by students on the original article, stating there are “lots of fights”.
It is also troubling that school staff seems to be content not to involve the authorities most likely in order to avoid public scrutiny such as this. If we had an actual functioning school board the principal would be removed. Clark Middle school needs to clean house and suspend and or expel those students, who behave in this manner.
Maybe Clark Middle school parents should consider attending the next school board meeting.
Are you OK? 1st off you don’t know who’s dog that is. She shouldn’t be subjected to only homeschooling because some bullies. THE ASD needs to ensure safety of our children PERIOD……………….
Why not homeschool your own child.
The principal likely got that award because of DEI criteria, not for any actual accomplishments.
DEI = Didn’t Earn It.
Well stated and appropriate acronym!
I believe you have hit the nail on the head.
Remember everybody is a winner.
If the victim had been of color or a Muslim, all hell would have broken loose.
NOT true there are kids of ALL races being bullied at the school including black girls. This Ain’t the 1 jumping of this magnitude. It’s the First going to the PRESS
I think what he was stating, and I can’t speak for Steve Peterson, is that the victim was a POC or Muslim, then the story would have made national news, the students who attacked the victim would have been quickly identified and already prosecuted… unless the attackers were other POC, then, like all the black-on-black violence, or Hispanic-on-Hispanic violence, it would have been swept under the rug and quickly forgotten.
Growing up I lived in many places , was a military kid, I defended the weak and would bully the bullies. I was well know in school where are the kids that will defend the weak and be proud to say I’ll stop the bullies. That male adult teacher that comes in at the end is a worthless adult. Get back get back that’s all he could do??? That girl was getting pummeled to death. What if she went into a coma, he should have been rushing into that crowd and raising his voice grabbing the ones by there arms off that poor girl. Makes no sense why if there 8th graders were let into the gym when she’s in 6th grade. Teachers sound like there clueless. No structure no security, imagine if someone more dangerous entered
She is an 8th grader. She was still in class. 8 th graders HAD NOT BEEN RELEASED.
It appears that Principal Bennetta Orchitt was one of eight recipients in 2024 of a participation award given by the esteemed mutual admiration society known as The Alaska Association of Secondary School Principals (AASSP).
And she makes over one hundred thousand a year to mismanage a school.
What a great track record she has.
FJB needs to give her an award for excellence.
NOT true there are kids of ALL races being bullied at the school including black girls. This Ain’t the 1 jumping of this magnitude. It’s the First to hit the press
Q: Why are those kids racist?
A: their parents.
DEI
Shut the whole public school system down.
Its a waste of taxpayer money.
Horrible results.
Very Poorly educated children with crashing grades.
Very poor social skills.
Minimal life skills.
Indoctrination.
Incapable principals and teachers like the ones who at clark .
Privatize everything.
Give the parents a voucher so they can put the money where results are good.
Shut public schools down.
If you want your kids to be mean people or abused people or stupid indoctrinated people – send them to public schools.
Public school money wastes taxpayer money.
American. That is a wholly stupid and unamerican idea.
What useful skills are kid’s learning in public schools today that worth keeping schools open?
Trade schools, schools that teach reading, writing and math, and history,apprenticeship programs are skills worth something-
Public schools( teacher unions) today are nothing
but a massive Ponzi scheme.Young adults graduating can barely read or have basic math skills.
You can bet 99% don’t center know their rights under the USA Constitution.
Tsun. Be honest please answering these questions: do you have first hand knowledge of your shut it down claim? Do you have children in K-12 and have you met with the teachers? If no kids, have you sat in on a class to see for yourself what is being taught? Most teachers would love to have you. It’s cool and fun.
What I’m really saying is what I say to all my college students: start with facts.
Ah facts Paola, they can be such pesky things;
Clark Middle school has a 7% math proficiency and a 22% reading proficiency and ranks in the bottom of all Alaskan Middle schools 94th out of 95.
So one does not need to sit in the classroom to know, that whatever the teachers are imparting to their students is insufficient. Teacher are not preparing them even for the most basic functioning in society as in reading and counting, to say nothing of critical reasoning. Proof of that is displayed by the violent reaction of some, when they can not find another way to deal with conflict or perceived slights.
No Paola, America presents an EXCELLENT SOLUTION.
Paola,
Actually, it’s an accurate assessment of the only way to improve a broken and corrupt system. They need to feel real, tangible pain. But we are a city that consistently votes liberals into office and approves every bond presented to us, so apparently the broken educational system is working like a charm.
Clair. You want to cause real and tangible pain? To whom? Students, teachers administrators? How is tightening the chokehold beneficial?
Paola, hello? Context! Read the string. Obviously we were talking about the pain that would come by pulling students out of public schools and with them goes the federal funds and hopefully our property tax dollars. Real. Tangible. Pain.
Paola ,
Its un American stupid idea ,why?
Putting the education money into the hands of parents is extremely American idea because it hands power to the citizens and forces the market to create top quality education results as it competes for funds.
It’s stupid to do something again and again in basically the same way ( good money after bad)
Its un American to have a conformist socialist non competitive failing public school system that wastes childrens minds and time while creating socially sick kids . As it uselessly drains taxpayers resources.
Thats fricken un American.
American. You are unreachable.
Then enlighten us on how you would solve this issue and be specific.
What elements would you change and how would you tackle the rampant violence at this school?
Why should parents and students accept this pathetic standard of learning. School is supposed to teach something not be daycare for 12 years. I am aware of the “social emotional learning” the school district prides itself on, so is that the best we can do in public school??
Why shouldn’t the money follow the child? Isn’t personal freedom a hallmark of our republic?
Go after the animals for hate crimes. Then the school for allowing a culture which allows hate crimes to flourish.
Of course the principal was awarded. This is the desired outcome of public education.
Your proof?
The several videos would seem ample evidence if not ‘proof.’
If Mrs. Davis was still Clark principal, this would’ve never happened.
I’d like to know the back story that lead to this incident. Especially if the mother had been in contact with the school since January.
The timeline is pretty stretched out, and this certainly indicates there was a known issue that was never acted upon.
Over a dozen meeting requests leading up to this assault. Due to bullying, harrassment, and violence. Just from this specific mother. If that helps.
This is just the norm in most urban schools. Boomers embraced tolerant multiculturalism and their grandkids get to live in it. They were duped by communists.
“…….Boomers embraced tolerant multiculturalism and their grandkids get to live in it. They were duped by communists.”
Not all of us were duped. I fled California in the early 1970’s like my tailfeathers were on fire. But now makes the 1960’s in California look like a toddler’s party in the park. The sexual depravity now makes hippies look tame. Remember: the current wave of social degredation and sexual psychosis was released upon this society early in Obama’s second term. This is all by design. Obama began his terms openly stating that marriage was between one man and one woman…….until that Magic Day when Killary, him, and every other Democrat were running over each other to post their support for homosexual marriage on Twitter in a coordinated attack on morality nationwide.
Obama might be a Boomer, but he was definitely on the tail end.
Ms Guthrie is obviously very intelligent and likely would provide a superior education to her daughter via home schooling. Even if she is needing to work outside the home, her daughter is old enough to be self directed and if she cannot afford to go it independently we now we have wonderful home education programs to choose from that will give great support. How horrific to go through such a trauma. All of those ‘communist sociopaths in training’ need to be held accountable!
I am a former teacher and homeschool mom who homeschooled K-12. I cannot say enough about the superiority of home education over the public school classroom. You do not need a teaching degree! If anything my degree hindered me for a few years as I struggled to think outside the filling a bucket mindset. As a parent you will learn right along with your kids and it is a blessing! It is a blend of hard work, fun, creativity, tears, and joy.
I pray for the Guthrie and a way forward for them. Bullying is one thing but that was outright violent assault.
The PARENTS are a child’s 1st teacher…from birth! The parents of those girls should be charged also! You reap what you sow!!
“……..The principal of Clark Middle School in Anchorage, which critics have dubbed “Fight Club,” has been recognized by her peers for excellence………”
I have every reason to believe that “her peers” are circling the wagons around her in ideological support. To Hell with their victims of racial violence. It’s all about “diversity”, even though the white kids will (or have been) fleeing out of that school’s boundary zone like conservatives fleeing California. It is relieving to read, though, that two have been charged and more might be. Too bad the criminal justice system will kiss their butts instead of putting them behind bars.
Reggie, just wait till the Restorative Justice rules kick in. Anchorage School Board president Margo Bellamy is pushing this hard in the district. Restorative justice means there will be 2 sets of rules based on a student’s status: race, ethnic group, poverty level, home life, etc.
Be proactive and call out the school board on this issue of restorative justice/social justice.
Imagine if a group of white kids did this to a lone black kid? Every year 20-40,000 black against White rapes are committed in America, the media is silent, everyday I watch the nightly news from black cities, it’s absolutely disgusting the things these people do every day. Black and brown crime against whites is epidemic and Whites are too scared to speak up about it, the media is anti white, federal policy is anti white, our politicians don’t dare be pro white. Shameful cowards.
Welcome to my world in the 1960s. Had so many Africans in my front yard after chasing me home that you couldn’t see the green on the grass. I beat the hell out of them on the football field, but school was different. Teachers were afraid and looked the other way.
The award should be revoked evidently.
The Principal ignored the parent’s plea? She should not be given an award, she should be fired. And, yet, if the young girl who was beaten, had her hair pulled and was kicked and stomped had fought back, she’d probably have been expelled for fighting. I’m not clairvoyant, but I’m betting nothing happens to the kids to did this dastardly deed. There are reasons my grandkids go to martial arts training several times a week. Also reasons why we explain to them that this isn’t for discipline or good sportsmanship – it’s for when kids like this try to maim, disfigure or kill them simply because they are white.
So, this is what our K12 government school system has come to. Less than 3% of the students are proficient in math; and ONLY 12.5% are proficient in reading/writing! Yet the principal gets an award? She should only get a Participation Trophy! This seems to reek of Equity.
On another planet in another galaxy, I was an officer of the Juvenile Court. IN that place and time, these kids would have been in the courts custody, the probability they would spend some time locked away and evaluated was very high. Their parents as well as the principal would have had to appear in Juvenile court and the parents especially would have born some responsibility, but that long long ago and far away. Now we celebrate and hold no one responsible for their actions, or as in the case of school personnel , inaction.
Diversity is our strength…. Ummm…
Need to get the state representatives and senators involved as well as the city assembly members to deal with this and quit playing politics. Election time is here and i am watching them.
And yet, the Zombie parents of Anchorage re-elected both sexualizers of children Jacobs and WIlson to the ASD School Board.
You reap what you sow. What would be the consensus if that guy rachel lavine was available to be a guest speaker at any loss-anchorage public school.
Shunned a well respected person of color just recently though.
PLEASE EVERYONE JOIN ME TO MAKE CHANGE!!!! THIS IS MY DAUGHTER BEING ASSAULTED. THIS CAN NOT STAND IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM!!! NO CHILD SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO THIS KIND OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT WHEN THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE IN A SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT!!!! THESE SCHOOLS ARE NOT SAFE!!!! JOIN THE CAUSE!!! IM GOING BEFORE THE SCHOOL BOARD TOMORROW. I AM CALLING ANYONE AND EVERYONE!!! IF YOU ARE SICK OF THIS AND WANT CHANGE HELP ME DO IT!!!! COME SHOW SUPPORT! GET IN ON THE MEETING!!! SPEAK OUT!!!!!
Remind the Board of what happened in Wisconsin today and plead they follow suit. Have the bullies arrested, charged and prosecuted along with their parents and school officers who allowed this to happen. Some jail time for the adults involved might be noticed.
If Wisconsin can do it, so can Alaska.
OOOOOPs – That was in Michigan, not Wisconsin
Pissed. Please report back on your experience before the school board. Really, please. You are, unfortunately, in a superb position to inform readers.
ASD gladiator school
Lots of comments here about racism but nothing about what specifically these bully kids were holding the victim accountable for?