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Tuesday, March 22, 2005
One Teacher’s Very Bad Day
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Today, I got the following e-mail from the Clayton County school district:
The following is an account of an incident this morning at FPHS based on reports from school officials at Forest Park High School …
At around 8:25 this morning as students were arriving at the school, a teacher asked a female student (age 16) who was sitting on the sidewalk in the area that students were arriving, to move to the cafeteria or the gym. After repeating this request, the female student basically told the teacher not to bother her. When the teacher approached the student, she reportedly put her hand in his face touching him. The teacher then took her by the arm to take her to the office. The female student protested.
As this action was taking place, the female student’s brother (17) told the teacher to leave her alone. He then punched the teacher in the face. The teacher, in an effort to gain control on the brother, slipped in the grass and went down with the brother. While down on the ground two additional male students joined in the fray, one (16) punched the teacher on the other side of his face, while the other (16) grabbed the teacher by the head and waist. As other school officials and staff members arrived to gain control of the situation, the brother and sister left campus.
The school’s SRO, who works with Forest Park Police, investigated the incident with assistance of other Forest Park officers. The two male students who joined in the situation as well as the brother have been arrested and charged with battery on a teacher and with the disruption of the operation of a school. All students involved are members of the school’s freshman class.
The teacher was treated for minor injuries at the scene. The teacher was allowed to leave the campus after participating in the investigation.
Talking Points
We commend the school’s administration and staff for taking swift action in dealing with this matter so that the situation stayed contained and that other students and staff were safe and out of harms way.
We also commend the Forest Park Police and Forest Park High’s SRO Sgt Randall for their prompt and professional handling of the situation.
