School district officials refute report that fight was within walls of high school

COLUMBIA — There was no fight inside the school.

That’s the message contained in a letter posted on Hickman High School’s Web site and sent home to parents Wednesday about an incident earlier this week.

Lynn Barnett, assistant superintendent of Columbia Public Schools, told the Missourian on Tuesday that a “fight broke out” in the main office after adults who don’t attend the school and students were taken to be “interviewed.”

Sgt. Eric White, who is in charge of the school district’s resource officers, could not be reached immediately about the apparent discrepancy between information in the school’s letter and earlier accounts of what happened. Calls to Hickman High School Principal Michael Jeffers weren’t returned.

Barnett did not return several messages left on her office and cell phone.