She Was Jumped In School. Now, She Feels Unsafe And Won't Return.

BERKELEY, NJ — The mother of Central Regional wrestler Jayla Hahn says her daughter wants to withdraw from the school after she was attacked in the school cafeteria, in part because district officials are not doing enough to protect her child.

Jayla's mom, Dora Hahn, said the attack on Jayla happened April 4, a week after Jayla returned to school following surgery to repair a shoulder injury suffered in the NJSIAA Girls Wrestling State Championships in March. Jayla, a state champion in 2021, finished as a state runner-up after being forced to withdraw from the championship match due to the injury. Jayla's surgery was on March 16, and she returned to school March 28.

"Central Regional never sweeps anything under the rug," Central Regional Superintendent Tom Parlapanides told Patch. "We handle all issues head on. A HIB [Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying report] was opened at Central Regional and we protect all of our students."

In a video of the fight taken by two students and obtained by Patch, Jayla can be seen talking to another student. The students filming this are heard talking and laughing, with one saying "girl, your sister should not fight her with that arm." Jayla turns and appears to start walking away when the other student grabs her by the hair and drags her to the ground, hitting her repeatedly on the head. She drags Jayla across the cafeteria floor and other students jump in, trying to pull them apart. School officials run over as well to break the fight up.

After the students are pulled away from each other, Jayla shouts, "F--- no, my arm!"

The other student replies, "B---- stop f---ing talking s--- you stupid a--." The two continue shouting and cursing at each other as the video ends.

"I feel like they waited for this opportunity for Jayla to be unable to protect herself," Hahn told Patch.

She said that now, her daughter doesn't want to go back to school. She's afraid it will happen again.

Jayla has received threatening phone calls from the students, Hahn said, and social media posts have been made about the situation. Hahn said Jayla will not return to Central next year, her senior year, and that her two other children will not go to Central either.

"I'm from Lakewood," Hahn said. "And I hear everyone talk bad about Lakewood. But I've never seen anything like this."

After the fight, Jayla suffered a concussion, Hahn said. Thankfully, Hahn said, her shoulder was fine. But it's not just about the injuries to Hahn.

Jayla initially was suspended for 10 days, which is Central Regional’s policy for any student involved in a fight. However, Hahn contested the suspension, because Jayla’s arm was in a sling, leaving her unable to fight back. The suspension was reduced to two days, Hahn said, with the district saying it was for “noncompliance,” though Hahn said it was unclear what the reason was for that claim.

Hahn said the school won't do anything to protect Jayla, and she's been fighting with them since the incident. While one student involved in the fight was suspended for 10 days, the other was not suspended at all. When Jayla didn't return to school after her suspension, the school called and Hahn asked about the other girls involved. The school would not give Hahn any information because she wasn't the parent of the other students involved. The other students are Choice students, meaning they live outside of the district. Hahn asked if they would be expelled.

"Isn't there rules and regulations for Choice students?" Hahn said. "They wouldn't give me any information. None."

Hahn said she tried to open a Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying report, but had to go to the New Jersey Department of Education to do so as she said Central gave her every excuse possible. She also contacted Berkeley Township police and is pressing charges.

Parlapanides said that the issue is that fights do not just start out of the blue. There are issues between students who do not speak up before it is too late, he said.

"This is where the parents and students need to let administration know, so we can be proactive rather than reactive," Parlapanides said. "Too many times, we have received a phone call from a parent expressing that after their child was in an altercation. That they knew about the email or social media exchanges and are just bringing it up now after their child was in a fight."

Hahn said that Jayla had issues with the girls prior to the fight and that the other girls had a "noticeable dislike" for her for months. She said that Jayla did not bring it up to administration as Jayla felt nothing would be done.

Hahn also worries about the administration of the school, especially following the recent issues of racism and bullying. Read More: Racism Permeates Central Regional School Culture, Students Say

"I don't want my kids at a school like that with these people in power," Hahn said.

Jayla, one of Central's most decorated athletes, is supposed to receive an award at the end of the month at the school board meeting. But she doesn't even want to go to that, Hahn said.

"She has something to be proud of, to represent Central," Hahn said. "You want to award her for the school and you can’t even protect her?"