Gloucester County Teacher Fights To Keep Job After Student Releases Cell Phone Video
SEWELL, N.J. (CBS) - Cell phone video recorded by a 10th grade student identified as J. A. has special education teacher Steven Roth fighting for his job with the Gloucester County Special Services School District in front of an administrative law judge Monday.
In the video, Roth uses profanity and appears to be physically intimidating to the student.
"I let my temper get the best of me that day," said Steven Roth who has 10 years experience.
Roth teaches students with special needs at the Bankbridge Regional School in Gloucester County. The district wants to fire him for the November 2011 incident. He could also lose his certification.
Roth said the student disrupted his math class but agreed his own actions were inappropriate
"J. A. was being threatening towards me. De had his hands clenched," said Roth. "I needed to stand my ground."
The classroom assistant who lost a pay raise and is on probation for not reporting the classroom incident defended Roth.
"I think he may have been a little over passionate, but I don't think he did anything wrong. That student was a bully," said Dawn Ross.
We are told the student identified as J. A. testified Monday morning.
Testimony is expected to continue Tuesday.
