Carrot tossing leads to teen's 4-week suspension, possible assault charges


A 14-year-old girl has been out of school for a month, and she could face charges of assault and battery on a middle school teacher.

Aliya May said she threw a carrot at a middle school teacher whom she had for class last year, WTVR reported.

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May said she tossed the carrot toward the teacher as a joke, never thinking that she'd hit the teacher in the forehead.

Now her mother wants to know why she is facing a serious punishment. May has been suspended for a month, and faces assault and battery with a weapon charges, WTVR reported.

Experts say it's the type of carrot, raw vs. cooked, that is at issue.

"If it's a soft carrot, it may not be as offensive," Todd Stone, WTVR's legal expert said. "But if it's a raw carrot, you don't have to have an injury or show you were hurt to prove a battery. It just has to be an offensive, vindictive touch. That's what the law says."

May's mother, Karrie, said the school's disciplinary review board sent a letter to her daughter and asked her to admit guilt. She declined and now is waiting to see what the next step is.