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Staff report
WARREN -- A student at Warren G. Harding High School was arrested Tuesday after an altercation with a school principal.
According to the Warren police report, the incident happened around 9 a.m. at the school located at 860 Elm Road NE.
Police say the trouble started when the principal took a student's phone during a classroom visit. The student became upset and argued with her.
The report states the student grabbed the principal by the shirt, swung her around, and later grabbed her around the waist while trying to take the phone back.
She was not physically hurt, but was shaken up and emotional after the incident.
Ohio schools, including Warren City Schools, follow strict cell phone policies under a new state law signed by Gov. Mike DeWine in May 2024.
The law requires all public schools to limit student cell phone use during school hours to reduce distractions and improve learning.
Two teachers and two students witnessed the altercation.
Security camera footage, which police plan to review further, supported the principal’s account of what happened.
When police spoke to the student, she admitted to grabbing the principal’s arm but denied other actions. She also made threatening comments about the principal, saying she would "beat her" if she saw her again.
When officers tried to arrest the student, she resisted by pulling away and refusing to be handcuffed. Eventually, police were able to restrain her and take her to the Juvenile Justice Center.
The student faces three charges of assault, menacing and resisting arrest.