A Baltimore high school teacher who was punched in the face by a student says she forgives the student who punched her.
The teacher was attacked on her first day back after taking a leave of absence for cancer treatment.
The attack was captured on cell phone video and went viral online earlier this week.
In the video, another student is seen holding the enraged student back before she punched the teacher.
The student is heard saying, “F— is you talking about, don’t f—ing get smart with me!” before walking out of the class.
The teacher followed the student out into the hall, telling someone in the hallway, “She said that I was getting smart with her.”
The unnamed teacher has not returned to class since the incident. She was evaluated at a local hospital and released.
Outraged members of the community rallied to support the teacher on Thursday. They demanded the school press charges and remove the student from the classroom.
Baltimore City Schools released a statement on the incident, saying:
“School administrators at Frederick Douglass High School continue to investigate a physical altercation that took place today when a teacher was struck by a student following a verbal exchange. Ensuring a safe teaching and learning environment for our students and staff is paramount to City Schools. Upon review of the incident, school administrators will apply disciplinary action in accordance with Baltimore City Public Schools’ Code of Conduct.”
The Baltimore Teachers Union released a statement calling the attack on one of their members “absolutely deplorable.”
The Teachers Union called on the School Board to implement policies and “provide options for students who express this type of behavior, but also protection and other measures for the teachers, staff and students who bear the brunt of their rage.”
Messages posted to a Facebook page for teachers claims the student was not removed from the class because the incident was triggered when the teacher “misgendered” the student.
