Teacher Who Berated Student Ousted From Classroom: Video

MANATEE COUNTY, FL — A teacher who berated a teen for not standing for the Pledge of Allegiance and questioned the student’s ethnicity has been removed from the classroom, a spokesperson for Manatee County Schools told Patch.

In a viral TikTok video, the teacher can be seen yelling at the teenager as a friend films the altercation. As of Friday, the video, posted Thursday by the user scobbydooo1, had nearly 154,000 likes and more than 11,000 comments. (Watch the video below.)

Michael Barber, director of communications, family and community engagement for the school system, wouldn’t confirm the name of the teacher, but told Patch the incident happened at Manatee High School.

The teacher can be heard saying at the start of the video, “And you’re going to sit there on your butt.”

He added, “Don’t shake your leg. If you wanna do something, get up and do it.”

The student responded, “I won’t hurt you.”

“I will defend my country ‘til the very end,” the teacher said. “Then go back to your — where you from? Mexico or Guatemala? Where?”

The student replied, “I was born here.”

The teacher said, “You were born here, and you won’t stand up for the flag.”

“The teacher shown in the video confronting a student in a Manatee district classroom was removed from the school the day the incident occurred,” Barber said. “The teacher no longer has contact with any students. In addition, the school district’s Office of Professional Standards is thoroughly investigating the incident in accordance with district and state due process policies and procedures.”

He added that the school district “strongly condemns any language or behavior that degrades, humiliates or insults any individuals — most especially the young people, families and community we have the privilege of serving.”

Under Manatee County Schools’ Code of Student Conduct, students are required to stand with their right hand over their heart when the Pledge of Allegiance is recited, unless a written request excusing them from reciting the pledge is submitted by their parent or guardian. Men must also remove any hats or headwear during the pledge.

Watch the viral TikTok video of a Manatee County teacher berating a student for not standing during the Pledge of Allegiance:

@scobbydooo1 #viral #fyp ♬ original sound - <3.