David Bridges
JAMESTOWN, N.C. (WGHP) – A Guilford County Schools leader is addressing a video circulating on social media showing an administrator getting punched in the face.
“That type of behavior is not acceptable in our schools, period,” said Mike Richey, Guilford County Schools emergency management director.
The incident happened inside a Ragsdale High School classroom Wednesday afternoon, according to Richey.
A student is now under investigation by the school district and authorities.
“It’s really alarming because it could’ve been any classroom,” said one parent of two Ragsdale High School students.
She asked WGHP not to reveal her identity. She has seen the video recording of the incident.
“It’s just really disruptive and scary,” she said.
The 47-second video showed a female high school student standing, yelling expletives and then punching an assistant principal one time in her face.
The female administrator falls back, turns away and leaves the classroom.
“You could hear the sound of the woman when she was hit in the face,” she said. “It’s just gross. It gives me the shivers.”
Six seconds after the student strikes the administrator, a school resource officer attempts to put the student’s hands behind their back.
“It’s also just disruptive to a learning environment,” she said. “Who’s going to learn when you have to worry about stuff like that?”
The teenager resists being escorted out of the classroom until the video ends.
“It’s just not acceptable,” Richey said.
A teacher called the administrator into the class after the student was having issues, according to Richey.
“We cannot use violence to solve our problems, however, we do know that children don’t always know the best way to cope with their frustrations and their problems, and so violence can result in that,” he said.
Richey told WGHP that the school district is in conversations with the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office on possibly filing a juvenile petition against the high school student.
“If we’re seeing an increase in violence in our community, there’s a chance we’re going to see that come into schools as well,” Richey said.
Guilford County Schools has increased mental health resources for students this year to help prevent these types of outbursts. Richey said parents play a role as well
“Guide them to help build that relationship with the trusted adult. Talk to them about the importance of going to the people of authority in that school when they see a problem or notice an issue or when they feel personally concerned because that is the best way we can address the issues there and then…help keep them safe,” he said.
Richey told WGHP that the child and parents will be brought in to meet with school leaders about the situation and consequences.
A 10-day of out-of-school suspension to long-term suspension is the consequence if a student commits a threat or assault against an adult, according to the school district handbook.
Richey said the administrator is doing well and was back on campus Thursday.
There are no plans to bring on additional school resource officers.
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Troy Sanders
