Brophy tries to ensure that all students are safe and comfortable while at school. Part of this is dealing with fighting and helping students make smart decisions for themselves.
The CDC said that in Arizona in 2021, 619 male students felt that they were being bullied on campus.
With less than a dozen fights in the past 3 years on campus, Brophy is doing many things to limit the amount of fights on campus.
Dean of Student Formation Dr. Brian Johnson who oversees all campus and safety concerns said “At a very basic level, it’s explicitly writing out our expectations… I think on a greater level or on a deeper level, it’s creating a community and an environment that thrives on brotherhood and guys being men for others and making sure everybody feels welcomed and they find their niche and they know where they can thrive.”
Because Brophy is a Catholic school, the Student Parent Handbook reflects those values stating, “we are created in God’s image and are each of inestimable value. Any form of harassment is completely contrary to this belief.”
Whereas the Student Parent Handbook of Pinnacle Peak high school defines fighting as “mutual participation in an incident involving physical violence, where there is no major injury.”
Whether it be drama or personal issues, students find one reason or another to fight each other at high schools across the country.
“A lot of the time it’s, you know, pride, ego, competition. A lot of the time it’s also peers that get a little too excited or excitable, and they’ll start off with roughhousing and horse playing, and then it’ll escalate into something else, ” said Dr. Johnson.
Some students think most of the students on campus would not want to fight each other.
Luca Gomez-Marra ’26 said “the [students] are good kids.”
However, some students disagree and think that the cause for the little amount of fights is different.
Dylan Faires ’25 said that Brophy is strict and if you fight someone you would get kicked out.
Dr. Brian Johnson said “I think the more programming and the more education that we provide on [fighting] will continue to help Brophy be a campus that doesn’t engage in fights.”
