Video shows "deeply disturbing" scene in classroom
MILWAUKEE --A teacher's aide at Bay View High School has been arrested following an incident captured on video in a classroom Wednesday morning, reports CBS Milwaukee affiliate WDJT-TV.
The video, captured by a student in the 9th grade biology class, shows the 39-year-old staff member pushing a 14-year-old onto a desk, then holding him by his neck and pushing him to the floor.
Police say the staff member was arrested for alleged physical abuse of a child.
In a statement, the Milwaukee Public School District said, "MPS finds this incident deeply disturbing. As soon as the school administration was notified of the incident, the Milwaukee Police Department was contacted and the staff member was removed from the classroom. We are cooperating with MPD. This staff member - who is a paraprofessional (teacher aide) - faces disciplinary action, including termination."
WDJT spoke with a 14-year-old who was inside the classroom when it happened.
"[The student] was talking stuff and then the teacher came, slammed him on the chair, and started choking him, saying, 'You don't know who you're [expletive] messing with,"' the teen said.
Parents were surprised by what the video showed.
"That was really scary watching the video," said Willie O'dell Jones. "I've never seen anything like that."
"There's no need for actions like that. It's just too much," said James Sinkey.
Students say the teacher and 14-year-old have been arguing back and forth for quite some time.
The video doesn't show the moments leading up to the altercation, but classmates say the student was being "disrespectful" to the teacher's aide.
"This teacher's just bogus," said one student. "But then again, the kid shouldn't have been talking stuff."
The student was treated at a local hospital for minor injuries, police said.
When investigation is complete, the case will be presented to the Milwaukee County District Attorney's office.