FRISCO - The Frisco parents who held a backyard “fight night” for teens say they won't do it again.
Students who attend Wakeland High School put on boxing gloves and went at it at a home in the Trails of West Frisco neighborhood. The fights raised controversy, and the leaders of the neighborhood's homeowner's association leaders said they are angry.
Videos of the fights were posted on YouTube. HOA president David Aronoff saw them and then sent out a mass e-mail to 1,700 homeowners who live in the neighborhood. The message was clear: fight night will not be tolerated.
“We’re not going to be bringing in a lot of kids out into the neighborhood, and getting them all riled up and setting them loose on one another," he said. "That is not appropriate."
Aronoff said he received hundreds of e-mails in support of his stance. The association vows to call in the police if it happens again or seek trespassing charges against any kids who don’t live in the neighborhood and are fighting in common areas.
“I wouldn't want my two girls doing that by any means," said Bryan Clement, a homeowner in the neighborhood.
Another homeowner, Joe Harris, said he fears someone could get hurt.
“With a bunch of kids playing around, you never know what can happen," he said."Some kid can end up with a broken arm or worse."
The parents who held the boxing matches at their house say they discussed it and decided not to hold another fight night. Their biggest concern is liability. Neighbor Patty Bedlan agrees with their decision.
“It's sending a bad message that the parents approve of this," she said. "The parents think that it's okay for kids to hurt each other."
The HOA president said he’s having a difficult time understanding how parents could condone the backyard fights.
“If it was one of my kids and some parent was encouraging my kid to fight another kid, I would do everything in my power to put a stop from that parent ever doing that again," Aronoff said.
The HOA president said if the kids want to box, they need to go to a gym where they are professionally supervised.
E-mail: sstoler@wfaa.com
