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As the trend of staged, filmed school fights shared across social media continues to grow, a leading behavioural scientist has issued a critical warning: punitive discipline alone is not enough to curb this dangerous youth behaviour. Professor Dwayne Devonish, a researcher at the University of the West Indies, is urging education leaders to pair the Ministry of Education Transformation’s strict zero-tolerance policy with proactive early intervention, confidential student reporting systems, and targeted psychological support to tackle the root of the problem.

His comments come in direct response to the ministry’s recent public statement condemning the spread of staged fight videos and threatening severe disciplinary action for all students involved – from the combatants to the organisers, videographers and users who upload content to social platforms. After confirming multiple instances of pre-planned, filmed altercations being shared online, ministry officials reaffirmed their hardline zero-tolerance stance, making clear that any student linked to these incidents will face formal disciplinary consequences.

Professor Devonish argues that this emerging form of youth aggression is fundamentally different from traditional spontaneous school fights, reshaped entirely by the reach and dynamics of digital social media. “When school fights are filmed and circulated online, we’re not just dealing with a physical conflict between two students,” he explained in an interview with Barbados TODAY. “We have the physical harm, but we also have a built-in audience, the permanent recording, widespread sharing, public comments, and even social status gained from the viral content. Psychologically, that completely shifts the dynamics of the behaviour.”

He points to the intersection of adolescent developmental stages and social media’s feedback loops as a particularly dangerous combination. Adolescents are still developing impulse control and emotional regulation, and social media platforms are structured to reward attention-grabbing content. When a staged fight video earns views, likes and comments from peers, it creates immediate social reinforcement that encourages repeat behaviour. Even minor conflicts rooted in perceived disrespect or embarrassment can be amplified by this digital system, turning a small disagreement into a pre-planned viral event.

While Professor Devonish fully supports the ministry’s commitment to rejecting and de-normalising school violence and the recording of it, he stresses that zero tolerance does not mean zero understanding of why the behaviour occurs. Relying solely on increased school surveillance or policing of student behaviour will fall short, he argues, especially when most of the filming and sharing happens on personal student devices that schools cannot easily monitor or control.

Instead, he advocates for a balanced approach that combines clear, enforceable rules with preventative measures. “We cannot police our way out of this problem. Strong policy and clear consequences are necessary, but prevention is just as critical. The most effective intervention happens before the first punch is ever thrown,” he said.

To stop planned fights before they start, Professor Devonish recommends that schools create discreet, confidential reporting channels that let students safely share information about upcoming altercations without fear of being targeted or judged. “Schools can’t predict every planned fight, but they can create systems to respond fast when students come forward. If students know exactly who to contact and know their report will stay confidential, they are far more likely to speak up before violence occurs,” he explained.

Ministry officials have noted that several initiatives to promote positive student behaviour are already in place across schools, including the Positive Vibe programme, Community Service Learning, and other character-building activities designed to boost student resilience. Officials also emphasized that the viral fight trend is not widespread, even as they reiterated that any single act of school violence remains unacceptable.

Professor Devonish acknowledges that existing social-emotional learning programmes can be effective, but he says addressing the problem requires broader systemic action. “These programmes work to prevent violent behaviour, interrupt it when it starts, and replace it with positive alternatives. But this is a multifaceted issue, and these programmes alone can’t fix the whole problem. We need a whole-of-education, whole-country approach to make real change,” he said.

He also issued a call to adults and parents to act responsibly on digital platforms, urging them not to share or repost staged fight videos. “Adults can amplify the harm just as much as teenagers can when they forward these clips. Beyond policy and enforcement, we have to be intentional about shaping positive behaviour, and we have to continuously collect data to check if our interventions are actually working.”

For its part, the Ministry of Education Transformation has renewed its appeal to parents to partner with schools, noting that home-school cooperation is foundational to creating safe learning environments for all students. Officials also recognized the vast majority of Barbadian students who follow school rules and make positive contributions to their school communities.