GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Twelve students at JL Mann High School were suspended after three fights that some said was caused by racial tensions.

Witnesses said a white student called a Hispanic student a racial slur, which prompted the fights. However, the white student said she was the one who was harassed by a group of Hispanic students.

After the fights, police arrested several Hispanic students. Those students’ parents then complained to police that the white students involved were not arrested. A couple of days after those complaints, the white students were also arrested.

Oby Lyles, with Greenville County Schools, said four students who were suspended are up for expulsion. He said eight others were suspended for three to five days.

One of the students who was suspended said he was only watching the fight and did not participate in it.

“She started calling her wetback and go back to Mexico until you learn how to talk,” the student said, who did not want to be identified. “They think we were hitting the girl and there were many people there.”

One teacher who did not want to be identified said she hopes the situation will improve and bring peace to the school.