WOODBRIDGE, VA – A Prince William County teacher has been arrested and charged with assault and battery after being accused of assaulting a seven-year-old boy, police say.
According to the Prince William County Police Department, a seven-year-old boy at Prince William Academy was assaulted while in class by a teacher, Shaanan Josiah Burrell, 34. The assault occurred on Oct. 13 at about 12:40 p.m. and the boy reported minor injuries.
Police were called to the school to investigate the reported assault the following day.
Burrell, who lives in Woodbridge, was arrested on Friday and is charged with assault and battery. He was released on his own recognizance, with no court date yet publicized.
Prince William Academy, located at 3480 Commission Ct. in Woodbridge, is a private school teaching grades kindergarten through nine. It is accredited by the Virginia Council for Private Education and promises small classes and individual attention to students.
Prince William Academy Executive Director Guye Turner told Patch over email that student safety is paramount at the school. "When we received a report concerning a staff member's interaction with a student, we immediately terminated the individual's employment and notified the affected family. We have cooperated with law enforcement and will continue to do so."
"Student safety is paramount at Prince William Academy. Our child-safety standards are clear: conduct that compromises a student's safety is prohibited and unacceptable," Turner said.
Prince William Academy's website does not list staff, and the school did not say what position Burrell held. The school said it cannot comment further on an ongoing law enforcement investigation.
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