Unruly Student Tazed at South Paulding, Georgia, High School

Tuesday, October 13, was an especially busy day for administration and School Resource Officers at South Paulding High School, in Paulding County, Georgia. It started out as a normal day, but by the end of the day a tazing had the school buzzing. An 18-year-old female, Tiara Darby, was tazed when she turned from a fight with her classmates to attack a School Resource Officer.

This may sound like a typical day in an inner-city school, but it has caused quite a stir in 4-year-young South Paulding County High School. Students and parents are accustomed to quiet days, with the occasional fight or bogus bomb threat common to most high schools.

When Paulding County Sheriff Deputy's cars went roaring down the otherwise quiet sub-rural Winn Road, where the school is located, in Paulding County it was obvious that something more dangerous was afoot.

Paulding parents, many who have admitted to being scared by hearing the call go out over the police scanner and seeing the commotion around the school remained calm.

Students report that they gathered in the cafeteria to see the fight, which originated between Darby and two other female students, age 16 and 17. Darby, who was observed and confirmed, by Paulding County Detention Center, to stand 5'8" and weigh 190 pounds, is described as a troublemaker by students at South Paulding High School. Students report that Darby was in trouble last year for beating up two boys.

On Tuesday, freshman Principal Neal tried to avert further trouble by removing Darby from the heated situation with the other students, according to student witnesses.

Instead of complying with the principal, students said Darby began to push Principal Neal. Resource Officers, positioned for student safety at the high school throughout the year, were quick to come to the principal's assistance. In turn, they too, were attacked by Darby.

When Darby refused to comply with any of their requests to calm down and stop fighting she was repeatedly warned that she would have to be tazed if she didn't stop fighting. Students said she ignored the warnings and Darby had to be tazed. The female student immediately fell to the ground.

Police officers, resource officers, and most of the school administration witnessed the incident, along with students who gathered around the commotion in the cafeteria. Students were asked to immediately leave the area.

Most observers agree that the tazing was inevitable to avoid anyone, including Darby getting hurt.

She was handcuffed and assisted up by Paulding County officers. According to students' observations after school, Darby sat resignedly while officers and school officials completed their work on the case.

Later, Darby was observed being escorted from the school, by Paulding County Officers. Her demeanor was said, by one parent, to be angry and hard, but compliant.

Following the tazing, according to Paulding Public Information Officer Gurly, the young woman was given a routine check by Paulding County Fire and Rescue before leaving South Paulding High School. Once she was given the all-clear by Fire and Rescue she was escorted from the school.

Upon arrival at the Paulding County Adult Detention Center Darby was booked for public fighting, obstruction, and disruption of a public school.

According to Paulding.com, a local community forum, further arrests may be made pending the investigation. Until then, things in a small sub-rural high school are back to normal thanks to an efficient school board and South Paulding High School administration.

Sources:

Interview with parents on the scene at South Paulding High School
Interview with students on the scene at South Paulding High School
Pat Hughes, Three youths arrested in altercation at local high school, Paulding.com
Paulding County Police, Fire, Rescue Scanner
Paulding County Sheriff's Department Public Information