Baltimore Teacher Attacked Speaks Out, Forgives Student Who Hit Her
BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Camille Hinmon says she is staying put.
The Baltimore City School teacher at the center of a viral video showing her being punched in the face said she wants to put an end to all the speculation that came with the release of the video, mainly rumors that she is seeking revenge.
She said life has not been easy since the video went viral.
VIDEO: Student Seen Hitting Teacher At A Baltimore High School
Baltimore City Schools said they have been investigating the incident and the student will be disciplined.
The video has been seen hundreds of times.
A student at Frederick Douglass High School was seen cursing and then out of nowhere punches the teacher, now identified as Hinmon.
She said she was unaware the video had been posted online and was going viral, but she soon realized her desire to stay out of the limelight was not going to happen.
Calls were soon followed by strangers coming to her home. So she went into hiding.
"I actually moved away for a while and went to stay in a hotel," Hinmon said.
But even then, she said she felt there was no escape.
"I saw a man staring at me looking at his phone, staring at me looking at his phone, it made me so uncomfortable," Hinmon said.
Though there are certain things she said she's legally not allowed to disclose about that day, she can confirm the day she was punched was her first day back in the classroom after being away more than two months after invasive surgery to treat her recently diagnosed cancer.
It was also her 57th birthday.
Teachers Union Calls Attack On Baltimore HS Teacher 'Absolutely Deplorable'
"Since I'm the one that had to go through what I went through I feel that I should be able to speak to people about what my wishes are," Hinmon said.
She said part of that is letting people know she forgives the student who she had only met that day in the classroom.
She added it broke her heart hearing and reading all the ill will toward her.
"There was a lot of hate," Hinmon said. "And that's the part that upset me, in fact, I started to cry when I read it,"
Hinmon has not been back at the high school since.
[WJZ Reporter]: "Are you eager to get back to teaching? Do you want to go back to the school?"
"In my heart of hearts I do, but I'm aware that I have to be well before I go back," Hinmon said.
Though there has been no shortage of outreach and support, she said she is not looking for fame or even sympathy.
True to her teaching roots, she hopes for that student this becomes a teachable moment.
"I'm hoping that a positive outcome from all these things that have happened," Hinmon said.
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