TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) – A kindergarten graduation at Queens of the Apostles School turned violent when a fight over seating broke out among parents, leaving none of the families able to watch their children walk across the stage.
Police said one woman was arrested for assault and another person was hospitalized, requiring stiches to her head.
Parent Craig Mays told 13 Action News the children were downstairs rehearsing when parents started fighting over seats.
“There was another family who started to grab their own chairs and kind of like make their own space and make their own seating. Which I really didn’t have a problem with but my kid’s mom, they were right in front of her and she couldn’t see,” Mays said.
Mays said he tried to calm things down, but a woman behind him wouldn’t let it go.
“The girl behind me she’s just talking just cussing talking crazy. Calling us weird and saying we need to mind our business,” Mays said.
Police identified that woman as Jessica Anderson. She is charged with felonious assault. Court records said she grabbed someone by her hair, striking her head against a chair. The victim needed stiches.
Mays said he and Anderson went back and forth, and that’s when her family jumped him.
“… her whole family in the first two rows stood up – five guys, five girls – they just all stand up as I’m arguing with Jessica. I literally don’t remember anything, I just know was sucker punched,” Mays said.
He said once he was on the ground, the attack continued.
“Once I was taken it to the round, it was probably four or five other guys that were on top of me trampoline me punching me. You kick me in the head,” Mays said.
His child’s mother tried to help. Video shows Anderson allegedly grabbing the woman by the hair along with several other women.
“She grabbed my kid’s mom by her hair, pulled her away from me stop punching her face then maybe five or six other girls just came and trampled her and was just stomping her kicking her in the face,” Mays said.
School leaders called 911.
Mays, himself a kindergarten teacher, said he’s heartbroken.
“So, being at another school’s kindergarten graduation, I know how hard those kids work. I know how hard those teachers work for us just to ruin it and be selfish like that and it breaks my heart. I couldn’t watch my daughter graduate today,” Mays said.
The school has not announced when it will reschedule the graduation.
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