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Twelve female students at Southern Guilford High School face suspensions and possible criminal charges for a fight that broke out Wednesday in a hallway.

Yesterday, we discussed the school meeting at Grimsley to talk about ways to improve student discipline that was sparsely attended. Now we have students fighting and fires intentionally set. Why is it happening and how is it stopped? Join the discussion at the Debatables blog.

About 8:30 a.m., two girls exchanged words on their way to class in the hall near the gym, principal Jim Gibson said. The same two girls had gotten into a fight earlier this year, he said.

Friends of both girls became involved and the fight escalated, but was quickly broken up.

Three administrators, one school resource officer and four teachers were in the hall during the fight, which lasted less than three minutes, said Chad Campbell , spokesman for Guilford County Schools.

No weapons were involved, but the girls were pushing and punching each other, Gibson said.

Guilford County sheriff's deputies were called to transport those who are being charged.

At least one person suffered a bloodied nose, according to arrest warrants.

"It completely disrupted the entire school," Gibson said.

As of Wednesday evening, those charged included:

* Mesha Nicole Cook, 17, of 805 Pine Ridge Road, Greensboro.

* Danielle Hicks, 16, of 2340 1-G Bellemeade St., High Point.

* Shamika Marche Johnson, 17 of 901 Tipperary Drive, Greensboro.

* Sierra Channel Palmer, 17, of 805 Pine Ridge Drive, Greensboro.

* Erica Denise Waters, 16, of 3004 Boyle Ave., Greensboro.

* Angela Nicole McKinney, 18, of 102 Meadowview Lane, Greensboro.

Each was charged with one count each of misdemeanor riot and disorderly conduct.

McKinney also was charged with misdemeanor possession of a weapon on educational property for allegedly having a small pocketknife.

Waters also was charged with possession of a controlled substance for 10 plastic bags of marijuana , according to warrants.

Each student was issued a $300 bond.

Most of the students involved in the fight were older than 16 and were arrested, Gibson said. A ll 12 will probably be charged, he said.

Gibson said all face suspension, and several may receive long-term suspensions.

There were no major injuries. Most of the girls sustained minor scrapes and bruises.

Because there were so many students involved, it was hard to determine exactly what took place, Gibson said.

"It seems increasingly in schools if you have an altercation, it's no longer one person fighting the other," he said.

Gwen Gutierrez of Greensboro, whose daughter Shamika Johnson was charged, said her 15-year-old daughter Haley Rivenbark and her 13-year-old niece Raquel Rodriguez were also involved in the fight.

Gutierrez said she has visited the school four times this fall because of threats her children have received from other students.

"To be honest, I have no idea what's going on," Gutierrez said. "Right now, it's just a feud."

Gutierrez said her daughters and niece bear some responsibility for the fight, but she also blames administrators.

Gutierrez said she fears the fight could jeopardize Rodriguez's academic trip to Japan in the summer.

"I just can't understand why this school can't get a grip on what's going on," she said. "My bottom line is I'm moving out of the school district. I feel there needs to be more administrative people at the school to handle the students there."

Campbell said parents with concerns about the incident should contact Gibson.

Contact Amy Dominello at 373-7091 or adominello@news-record.com

Contact Morgan Josey Glover at 373-7078 or mjosey@news-record.com