HARTFORD, Conn. (WFSB) - Over the last five school years, physical and verbal confrontations in Connecticut schools have increased 44%. That’s according to a State Department of Education report that compared numbers from the 2018-19 school year to 2024-25 school year.

The Department of Education chose those years to examine the difference from pre-to-post pandemic.

Jerson Aguilar says he wasn’t surprised to hear the numbers. “Everybody’s stressed out. There is a lot going on all over the world so it’s kind of hard to kind of just keep that balance as an adult. I can only imagine as a kid, it’s kind of hard,” says Aguilar.

Aguilar has a ten-year son, Avilino, who attends the West Hartford school district. Aguilar says that while he does hear stories about bullying and fights, he doesn’

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