Newton Citizen

COVINGTON - Two female Newton High School students have been arrested and charged with multiple offenses in connection with a fight in the school office, according to the Newton County Sheriff's Office.

Lt. Mark Mitchell, spokesman for the NCSO, said the school resource officer was summoned to the office by a school administrator.

"She said she had separated two female students who had come close to getting into an affray in the office," Mitchell said.

Mitchell said further investigation revealed that an argument had begun between the two during class and escalated once they were sent to the office. He said it was also discovered that one of the girls, a 16-year-old, had a knife in her purse and produced it in her right hand during the altercation. She also had made threats against the other student, who is 15.

The 16-year-old was charged with aggravated assault, disruption of operation of public school and weapons on school safety zone. The 15-year-old was charged with simple assault and disruption of operation of public school.

Both cases will be handled through Juvenile Court.

In other school crime, the parent of a Cousins Middle School student told the school resource officer that her son was cut by another student with a pair of scissors the day before, Mitchell said. The two had apparently gotten into a disagreement over something that was stolen.

The student who used the scissors is 12 years old. He was charged with aggravated assault in connection with the incident.

Also, the school resource officer at Cousins Middle School learned that a student had a knife on his person at school. When a search was made, the knife was located and the 13-year-old student was charged with carrying weapons on a school safety zone.

Barbara Knowles can be reached at barbara.knowles@newtoncitizen.com.