Last week, videos of a fight that occurred at Great Bend High School went viral.  That means that it was seen by so many people, it was picked up by several online magazines and is now circulating worldwide through their subscribers.  These magazines failed to follow up with even a little bit of reporting.  They rushed to post the videos, and assigned “talking heads” to tell viewers what they are watching without regard for the facts.  
It turned a serious incident into mere entertainment at the expense of those filmed.  There was no regard for the legal or health consequences either of the parties may now face.  And a quick tour of social media proves those who watched it were too easily led to agree with what they heard.   
A short guy hit a tall guy, and the commentator leads viewers to believe they’ve witnessed a victim taking revenge on a bully.  Viewers cheer for the underdog without any supporting data.  Who knows if its true?  It could just as easily be a tall guy getting clocked by a short guy who feels he has something to prove.  Ask any really tall guys you may know, and they’ll likely tell you it happens a lot.  
Real reporting takes a lot more time than it takes to scrape a video from the internet and throw some commentary behind it.  It takes research, detective work and verification with official sources.  Focusing on what the real story is about is essential too.  All the data doesn’t come in a neat package with the press of a button.  
What we do know is a fight occurred, and later, police were called to the school to take a report. An aggravated assault was witnessed by many.  More than one video was taken and posted to social media.  Charges are pending.  The school district is also protecting the privacy of students per their policy.
Regardless of what the circumstances were leading up to the incident, a violent display of force was clearly not warranted.  Dismay that communication failed that day should be our reaction.