The fights started at around 10 a.m. Monday.

Manor High School was locked down Monday after several fights broke out among students.

Authorities said the skirmish started with two girls and then spread. School officials said a preliminary investigation suggests an off campus incident Friday night led to Monday's clash.

The Travis County Sheriff's Office and the Manor Police Department were called to assist with the fights, which started at around 10 a.m.

"When we got to the scene, we were confronted with what best could be described as a state of confusion. We had staff trying to get control of the students," Travis County Sheriff's Office Capt. Art Cardenas said.

		WATCH THE VIDEO
	Manor H.S. News 8's Bob Robuck has more from Manor High School after a fight on campus leads to several arrests.

School officials said authorities used pepper spray to diffuse the situation.

"They kept trying to get the people that were fighting, and more cops just started showing up. People were just getting tackled to the floor, getting quickly handcuffed, so they could handle the other kids," student Kevin Vara said.

Emergency medical services officials said 12 students were evaluated for pepper spray exposure and one resource officer was transported to the hospital with minor injuries.

	Superintendent Andrew Kim has been in the position since July 2008.

Travis County deputies said police took a total of seven people into police custody, including five juveniles and two 17-year-olds.

Parents and students said the melee isn't the first and that tension at the school has been very high.

"Female, boy fights, gang fights, whatever you want to name it, it's there," Parent Nicole Forcey said.

School administrators admit there is a culture of violence at the school, saying some of it is racially motivated and the rest is simply a product of the constant violence itself.

	Manor Ratings
Manor High School has been rated "academically unacceptable" since 2006 by the Texas Education Agency. Manor High School was rated academically acceptable in 2005. New state law says that after five consecutive years of bad performance, TEA can discuss closing the school. By the sixth year, the commissioner has to close it down. To look up how a school or district in your area rates, visit the Texas Education Agency's AEIS page.

"Basically, people either don't like each other or they'll fight over somebody saying something they think they said," student Richard Forcey said.

Just two weeks ago, police arrested a student who brought a gun to campus.

"We're trying to make sure when there are issues and tensions that they have a safe place here, so they can discuss those issues out. We do have additional staff and hall monitors, as well as our counseling staff is a very new one that we have in place, as well as the principal is new," Manor Independent School District Superintendent Andrew Kim said.

Still, some parents said it's not enough. Many said they are considering pulling their kids out of Manor High School, saying the problems are too ingrained and intense to try to solve them with calm reasoning.

Students returned to classes but remained on lockdown Monday. Parents were not encouraged to pick up their children early, but school officials did not stop them if they tried.

Parents were notified of the situation through the Manor High School automated phone messaging system.

If you have any information or questions about the incident, call Manor ISD (512) 278-4800.