I work in a high school and over the course of my career, now exceeding 25 years, I have broken up a number of fist fights. So far, *touch wood*, I haven't been hit too hard but in one of the altercations I was breaking up I got thrown against the corner of this big metal box over the radiator in our school's cafeteria. I ended up with a nasty cut on my back, though not bad enough to need stitches. The most recent fight I broke up was a about a year ago, two knuckleheads got at it in the computer lab, of all places.
I don't like breaking up the fights, and indeed we are advised not to, but in the same breath there's the warnings to keep the students safe etc. etc. Damned if you do and damned if you don't. I don't step in until there appears to be imminent harm to anyone, combatant or bystander. Usually the security guys arrive pretty quickly.
Finally, over the years I have found that I'd much rather break up a pair of boys fighting than a pair of girls. Boys will generally get a few whacks in and they're done. Girls just fight nasty with biting, hair pulling, scratching, and all that.
