Mom insists 'it's not about race' after her son pulled classmate by her hair in California middle school fight

RIALTO, Calif. - A mom is speaking out after her 14-year-old son was seen pulling his classmate by her hair in a brawl that broke out at Jehue Middle School in San Bernardino County.

What they're saying:

"It's not about race," said the boy's mother, captured on cell phone video in a fight with a smaller, female, African American classmate.

Speaking exclusively to FOX 11, she says the family is now getting death threats, and they are afraid.

The video was shot by fellow classmates and begins with the larger boy and girl going back and forth. At one point, the female is seen throwing a laptop at the male, all while other students are cheering and can be heard using racial slurs. The exchange culminates with the boy slamming the girl onto a desk. She doesn't move for a while but gets up after other students help her up.

The mother tells FOX 11 her son was trying to protect himself, that the fight began before the video, when he borrowed a pencil from the classmate and passed it on to another student. "At that point she became enraged and attacked him," says the mother, claiming she hit him with a water bottle.

Colton police confirm they responded to the school and spoke to witnesses who described what happened before the fight, which led them to cite both students: the girl for assault with a deadly weapon, the boy for assault on school grounds.

Activists have denounced the incident, saying the racial component has to be addressed. Rialto Unified officials say they don't condone hate or violence and are cooperating with the investigation.

But the boy's mother insists this is not about race, blaming the substitute teacher in the room for not stepping in to diffuse the situation. District officials say the teacher used the phone to call security but will not share what has happened with the instructor.