Alleged Tantrum by Selby Lane Teacher Leads to 911 Call, Paid Administrative Leave

Correction: The teacher was not suspended and no disciplinary action toward the teacher has been taken. The district placed the teacher on paid administrative leave in order to investigate allegations made by a student. 

A Redwood City School District teacher is on administrative leave after a classroom outburst last Tuesday that sent one frightened 13-year-old girl fleeing to the bathroom where she called 911.

John Haynes, an eighth grade math teacher, was leading a class shortly after 2 p.m. at Selby Lane School when, for an unknown reasons, he allegedly became frustrated, started cursing and lifted a desk a few inches and slammed it on the floor, Atherton Police Lt. Joe Wade said.

That's when the girl ran from the classroom and called police at 2:26 p.m., Wade said, which resulted in the speedy arrival of three officers. She stayed on the phone for roughly 11 minutes and sounded very distraught, even crying at times, he added.

"She said the teacher was going crazy," Wade said. "But when we arrived, we found a calm teacher in a classroom full of calm students. We conducted an investigation, interviewed people and established that no criminal acts had been committed. So we turned it over to the district."

Haynes was immediately placed on administrative leave and his case will go before the board of trustees Wednesday night in closed session, Superintendent Jan Christensen said. The district has legal obligation to protect the teacher's privacy, she said, and declined to comment on whether her staff has made recommendations on the case. 

"We cannot discuss potential options or the outcome of the case (and) we cannot discuss any details of the investigation," Christensen said in an e-mail. 

If the board votes to take disciplinary action against Haynes Wednesday night, they are required to announce the action during the regularly scheduled meeting. She also declined to say whether a union representative will be present during the meeting.

It starts at 7 p.m. and will be held in the Redwood City School District main office at 750 Bradford Street, Redwood City. The closed session is currently scheduled at the end of the regular meeting.