A Texas educator is out of work after she was allegedly assaulted by students at the high school where she works.
The woman’s father reports she is unable to speak, experiencing “excruciating head pain,” and will need a CT scan in the near future.
Doctors are currently monitoring her injuries.
The teacher was hurt after trying to break up a fight on Thursday, April 27, the Houston Chronicle reports.
A witness said she saw a handful of students form a mob before delivering a beatdown to the Westfield High School assistant principal. Each teen involved is said to have been enrolled in the suburban Houston school’s Ninth Grade Center.
Video of the incident has circulated on social media. Students can be seen cheering on the fight and pulling out their cellphones to capture the melee. When the school administrator intervenes, it appears even more chaos erupts.
One person in a light blue shirt is seen trying to protect the woman and pushing the students away to little effect.
As a result of the wildling, the assistant principal had to be hospitalized.
“Three or four other kids jump in on her and just pummel her to the ground, and they are kicking her and pulling her hair,” a teacher who chose to speak anonymously to KNOE.com said.
Spring Independent School District, the governing board over Westfield High School, said it is not taking this offense lightly and says it prioritizes the safety of its employees and the students left under its care.
In a statement, school officials announced, “All students involved in the altercation will be subject to the full extent of disciplinary action available. We take these issues very seriously as the safety of our students and staff is our highest priority. There will be no tolerance for any altercations or disruptions to learning.”
The educator’s colleague disputes this claim and fears that if her identity is shared, she might be retaliated against by higher-ups. Still, she says she doesn’t feel protected by the administration from the students in the school.
“When you call for help to the front office, nobody ever shows up. We don’t feel safe. Faculty don’t feel safe and parents. … If the parents knew how unsafe the inside of the school is, they would be upset,” she explained, noting there were only two campus police working during the time of the altercation.
In addition to being afraid for her own safety, she feels terrible for the other educator.
“It broke my heart. It makes me want to cry. She loves those kids. She is the nicest person. She’s the best administrator that we have at Westfield High School,” the teacher said.
The incident comes days before the nation celebrates National Teacher Appreciation Week.
