DETROIT – Angry parents at Detroit’s Edison Public School Academy are demanding an explanation following an alleged violent outburst by a replacement teacher.
The event occurred on Wednesday afternoon (May 14) in a fifth-grade classroom at a charter school near Eastern Market.
According to parents, the unnamed teacher became enraged with the fifth graders’ behavior and began pushing, shoving, and punching many students.
According to reports, the teacher flung chairs in the classroom, injuring several children.
One of the parents told Local 4 that the school told them not to file a police report after the event, and they were originally vague about specifics.
“Please know that we are thoroughly investigating the incident and are confident that the situation has been fully resolved,” stated Kristina Peart, the school’s principal, in an email to pupils on Wednesday night. “Our staff continues to be vigilant in maintaining a safe, respectful, and nurturing learning environment for all students.”
Edison is chartered by Oakland University and operated by New Paradigm for Education.
“Nothing matters more than the safety and well-being of our students,” Edison Superintendent Ralph Bland said in a statement on Thursday.
“We have fully resolved the situation in accordance with our policies, and we will continue to take the required efforts to protect our scholars. “We have zero tolerance for anything that puts our students in danger.”
The Detroit Police Department is now investigating the incident. The school filed a police report with the 7th Precinct.
Reference: Detroit substitute teacher accused of hitting students, throwing chairs in fifth-grade classroom
