RICHMOND (KRON) — Cell phone video shot by a concerned parent shows kids throwing swings and punches at each other at a Richmond middle school.

The parent told KRON4 on Thursday he’s worried about his child’s safety, but in response the school says, the scene is not what it looks like. School officials say what’s seen in that video are students taking a break from class, getting out some energy, experimenting with boxing gloves and talking to a volunteer about technique and footwork.

They say what’s in the video does not happen every week.

Cell phone video shows students at Lavonya Dejean Middle School in Richmond.

The parent who took the video wants to remain anonymous and says his son feels pressured by one of his teachers to fight during this class which he said is called restorative justice.

“I saw what seemed to be an adult male actually in a physical altercation with a student,” the parent said. “As a parent, I’m like, Are you kidding me? I mean, I didn’t receive no waiver. There’s no safety gear.”

School officials say this is actually an English language development class and students are given time every week outside of the classroom — often playing board games, soccer or basketball.

And only twice in the past six months have they had the opportunity to use the boxing gloves, school officials said.

“The adult was actually teaching them some high level thinking skills about how to move and how to have good footwork,” Principal William McGee said.

Marcus Walton, West Contra Costa Unified School District communication director, said the claim that there was an altercation between an adult and child is untrue.

“It’s important to know that at no point and time was there an altercation between an adult and a student yesterday — that’s preposterous,” he said.

The concerned parent says he doesn’t send his student to school to fight and he was not happy with what he saw taking place at his son’s school.

School officials were asked if they saw anything wrong with the video, but said it was difficult to tell.

“It’s a really short video. It’s from far away and so it’s not very clear what’s exactly taking place there,” Walton said.

He reiterated the kids may have been goofing off.

“Are there some kids who may be a little boisterous and goofing off? Yes, they are 13 and 14-years-old, but in terms of what is taking place in that classroom, those are exactly the kinds of things we want taking place with our students.”

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