Mansfield Teacher Facing Charges, Discipline Over Bus Stick Incident

MANSFIELD — A confrontation between a student and teacher over a stick brought on board a Mansfield Middle School bus left the teacher both suspended and facing a pair of criminal charges.

State police released a warrant in the case this week. They began investigating the incident on Nov. 21 when the 1o-year-old boy's mother complained that a teacher boarded a bus and made "disparaging" remarks to her son. The boy had told his mother about the confrontation upon arriving home, according to a warrant.

The actual incident took place on No. 15 when a bus was at Mansfield Middle School and the boy was in "his assigned seat," according to a warrant. The boy had brought a 2-foot-long stick on the bus and was showing it to friends when the bus driver told him to toss it out the window, according to a warrant.

The boy refused, saying "It's my stick," according to a warrant.

That's when the bus driver summoned Kenneth Johnson, a music teacher, to the bus, according to a warrant. According to video surveillance outlined in the warrant, Johnson asked the boy to get rid of the stick, the boy again refused and Johnson said to him, "If you talk back, I'll rip your face off." Family members told state police his tone was "aggressive and controlling," according to a warrant.

The boy's mom reviewed bus surveillance with school officials, according to a warrant.

Johnson, 49, wound up being charged with disorderly conduct and second-degree threatening. He posted a $10,000 bond and is due in Rockville Superior Court on Jan. 8, records show.

He has also been subject to disciplinary action in the school system that includes being placed on paid administrative leave, according to a statement sent to the community. The student will not be taking any of his classes.