ST. JOSEPH &8212; Thursday, 14 students from Tensas High School were arrested for fighting and the school was put on lock down.

St. Joseph Police Chief Ernest Spillman said the arrests were a joint-effort between St. JPD and the Tensas Sheriff&8217;s Office.

Spillman said the fight at 10 a.m. at Tensas High School was over &8220;kids&8217; stuff&8221; but parents like John McTear, president of the Newellton parent teacher organization, said the fight is because of the forced consolidation of the St. Joseph, Waterproof and Newellton high schools.

&8220;This consolidation plan was rammed down our throats and now I don&8217;t think the kids from the three schools will ever get along,&8221; McTear said.

Spillman said that four years ago Waterproof High School was forced by the state to shut down and the children attend St. Joseph.

The school could not afford to be kept open, Spillman said.

This past summer Newellton High met the same fate and St. Joseph was renamed Tensas High.

Spillman said the fight started because of an incident Wednesday evening when five boys from Tensas High beat up a fellow student.

&8220;I think the feelings just boiled over to today when the boys had a chance to meet again this morning,&8221; Spillman said.

At 8:30 a.m. Thursday, police officers went to the school to bring the boys from the previous fight in for questioning, Spillman said.

While the officers were questioning the boys at the station, Spillman said both departments got a call that another fight had broken out.

Principal Noah Johnson said officers and an ambulance arrived and the school was put on lock down.

&8220;Any time a problem arises like this one we send the students to their homerooms with their teachers and we lock the doors,&8221; Johnson said.

&8220;It&8217;s a standard procedure.&8221;

Johnson said no weapons were used in the fight and there were no serious injuries.

One girl did have an asthma attack during all the commotion but was treated at the school and picked up by her parents, Johnson said.

Johnson said other parents came to pick up their children from the school but classes resumed.

Thursday morning, Johnson said surveillance tapes of the fight would be released to the sheriff&8217;s office for further investigation.

At 6 p.m. Spillman said 20 children between the ages of 15 and 18 were arrested.

Spillman said four boys, one 18-year-old and three 17-year-olds, were charged with disturbing the peace by fighting and second-degree battery.

The rest of the children were released into their parents&8217; custody, he said.

&8220;They have to realize that they are all in one school now,&8221; Spillman said.

&8220;They&8217;ll have to make their minds up whether or not they&8217;re going to get along.&8221;