Gainesville police and school officials are investigating an incident in which a 12-year-old student allegedly was thrown into a door by a middle school teacher.
No charges have been filed, police spokesman Kevin Holbrook said Tuesday. The teacher has been placed on administrative leave while the investigation is being completed, according to Wanda Creel, superintendent of the Gainesville City School System.
The student’s mother, Tamika Jackson, said Gainesville Middle School officials showed her video of the alleged incident, which happened April 11, after she brought the matter to their attention.
She told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution the video showed the teacher, identified as Joshua Streetman in the police report, “slammed” her son into a classroom door after the teacher saw him walking with a friend in the hallway.
Jackson said her son then ran to the school office and reported the incident to officials. The boy waited a day to inform his mother “because he didn’t think I’d believe him,” Jackson said.
She said she contacted school officials Thursday, which is when they showed her the video.
Jackson said she has talked to police and that she’s supposed to meet with officers again Thursday.
“The allegations are under investigation at this time,” Holbrook said.
“Any and all relevant information has been provided to the Gainesville City Police Department,” Creel said in a statement. “As with any allegation, we need to allow our police department the opportunity to work through their process before making any decisions.”
Jackson said she took her son to a hospital emergency room after he complained of pain in his side and back.
Streetman could not be reached for comment.
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