Mother jailed for pepper-spraying teens who were fighting her sons

Shawanda Favors
Photo credit: Fulton County Jail

A woman in Atlanta decided to take matter into her own hands when a group of teenage boys began to fight her sons. According WSB-TV, the incident occurred at New Schools at Carver in Atlanta.

Shawanda Favors dropped her sons off at school when she noticed four teenage boys approaching. One week earlier, the same four boys fought her sons and were looking to attack them again. Once her boys exited her car on the morning of Aug. 25, the four boys began fighting them again. There were dozens of students around, but Favors never saw a teacher or school administrator near who could break up the altercation. Favors initially yelled for the boys to stop fighting, but they ignored her and continued to fight.


So instead of watching her sons being brutally attacked, Favors decided to take out her pepper-spray and use it on the boys who were attacking her sons. The boys who attacked her son eventually stopped fighting and ran away. Four students were treated and one student was taken to the hospital.

However, once the resource officers finally did arrive, they decided to arrest Favors. Favors was eventually taken to jail and charged with disorderly conduct. Once Favors was released from jail, she didn’t express regret for her actions. She believed that resource officers and school officials waited too long to respond and that her kids were in danger. Favors said that her choice to pepper-spray students was her last option to keep her sons safe.


Some high schools have become battle grounds where teens use violence as a way to intimidate and bully. When teachers, school officials, and resource officers are unaware of the disagreements that occur between students, they can allow heated feuds to get out of fan.

It’s always important for teachers to communicate with their students so that high school violence can be stopped before it occurs. Although Favors can face jail time if convicted, the reality of her being forced to use pepper-spray to stop a fight reveals a lot about the school system.

Favors pleaded not guilty to all charges.

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