'30 seconds, no screaming, no yelling, no phones': Teacher allegedly arranged fight club for sixth-grade girls

A Florida teacher is facing criminal charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor in connection with organized fights that allegedly took place in her classroom, according to the Leon County Sheriff's Office.

Angel Drew Footman, 23, then a sixth-grade teacher at Griffin Middle School, allegedly allowed students to fight in her classroom during school hours, according to a press release from the Leon County Sheriff's Office.

"She made statements such as '30 seconds, no screaming, no yelling, no phones,' and she even asked two of the girls whether they wanted to come back during her 6th period planning period to 'run it back' (fight again)," Leon County Sheriff's Office detective Hanna Perry reportedly wrote in an affidavit acquired by the Tallahassee Democrat.

"The fighters informed me that Footman asked them whether they wanted to have a 'friendly fade' before the fights began," an affidavit obtained by WCTV reportedly said.

Several parents discovered videos and reported to school administrators. The videos were recorded by students in the classroom. Multiple incidents took place March 22, authorities said.

In the videos, Footman is seen sitting at her desk, failing to intervene, according to WCTV.

Four girls fighting on camera said the fights were preplanned and endorsed by Footman, according to court documents acquired by the Miami Herald.

Multiple school administrators identified Footman's voice on the recordings, issuing directives including "stop pulling hair" and "break it up," the outlet also said.

Footman reportedly told investigators she "did not organize fights in any way, but failed to take quick action to stop the altercations or report them to administrators."

An LCSO School Resource Deputy received the report about Footman March 23. A warrant for her arrest was issued April 5, following a preliminary investigation.

Footman turned herself in to authorities at the Gadsden County Sheriff's Office April 7.

She was arrested, booked, and released April 7. She is charged with four counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, according to LCSO's records.

Each charge could result in up to a year behind bars.

Though an archived copy of the school's website taken January 27 contains a listing for Footman, Griffin Middle's School's site currently does not list her among the school's faculty and staff.

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