New Haven Teacher on Administrative Leave After Allegedly Grabbing Child by the Neck: Report

NEW HAVEN, CT – A teacher has been placed on administrative leave after allegedly grabbing a student by the neck, the New Haven Register reported.

She may soon face a lawsuit from the victim’s family and is no longer allowed on school grounds, according to the New Haven Register. The Board of Education and the district have not released the name of the suspected teacher.

The incident reportedly occurred on May 20 when the teacher grabbed mother Shamara MIller’s 9-year old son by the neck after trying to leave the classroom and slammed him against a locker, the New Haven Register reported. Miller said the incident was caught on surveillance.

In response to recent inquiries and reports regarding an incident of alleged inappropriate teacher conduct which occurred on May 20, 2016 at Roberto Clemente School, Superintendent Garth Harries offers the following statement released to the media Wednesday.

“Student safety and overall well-being remain a top priority for this district. From the first report of this incident on May 20th, District staff took all the appropriate measures to ensure the school remained a safe space for both teachers and students. We immediately initiated an internal investigation and have cooperated with the various ongoing external investigations. I am confident that the swift actions taken by the Principal and District staff in reporting and investigating the incident led to the continued safety and stable climate of the school.

“To be clear, this District does not condone any actions of aggression or violence exhibited by students or teachers. Additionally, we expect all school educators and leaders to exhibit a reasonable amount of self-restraint while deescalating incidents of behavioral aggression. In response to the severity of the incident and allegation, the teacher involved was immediately placed on administrative and will remain in that status pending the findings of the investigation.

“During this time we will continue to do everything we can to reach an appropriate resolution for all impacted parties and we look forward to working with the family on a future school placement.”

The teacher was officially placed on administrative leave on May 23, 2016.

Read the full story at the New Haven Register.