NATCHEZ — Chants of “Bring Butcher back” could be heard briefly from the lawn in front of Natchez High School Friday morning as a group of nearly 40 students rallied in support of the school’s resigning principal.

The students gathered in front of the high school at approximately 10:50 a.m. Friday, which was a regular school day. Several Natchez-Adams School District officials, whose offices are not at the high school, and Natchez Police Department officers arrived at the school shortly after the rally began.

NASD Superintendent Frederick Hill, deputy superintendent Tanisha Smith and others spoke to the group of students briefly before the students returned to class.

Hill asked representatives of The Natchez Democrat to leave the high school’s campus Friday morning during the rally.

Later in the day, Hill declined to comment on the situation at the high school saying only that district officials were making a plan to continue operating the school following principal Fred Butcher’s last day Friday.

Butcher, a long-time area educator who took over as principal this school year, turned in his letter of resignation Tuesday, but would not discuss details behind his decision. A fight broke out Monday at NHS that resulted in 17 students being arrested for disturbing the peace.

Hill said Friday various district administrators would be at the high school starting Monday until the end of the school year, which is in early June, as the search for a full-time principal continued.

NPD Detective Jerry Ford said officers were asked to patrol the high school Friday morning during the protest, but said no students were arrested.

“We went over there because basically they had some students that were protesting, and they asked us to come stand by and do some extra patrol,” Ford said. “We’ve been monitoring the school the whole day, and we’ll probably be doing that throughout the remainder of the school year.”

Alderman Ricky Gray said he went by the high school Friday after hearing of the situation, but found everything under control when he arrived.

“I just encouraged a few of the students I did see to go to class because that’s what they were there to do: get an education,” Gray said.