A substitute teacher in Florida was arrested after authorities say he tried to instigate a fight with a 14-year-old boy in a classroom.
Benjamin Barnes, 26, was charged with battery for the altercation with a middle school student that was caught on cellphone video.
According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the incident took place on March 25 at Webb Middle School in Tampa.
The sheriff’s office released cellphone video that appeared to be taken by a student and showed Barnes in a classroom confronting the boy head-on and goading him to fight in full view of other students.
“You want to fight? I’m right here,” Barnes is heard telling the student. “I’ll fight you all day.”
Barnes continued: “Let’s go! Let’s go! You still talking!”
The footage also shows Barnes stalking the boy as he moves around the classroom.
At one point, Barnes snatches the teen’s phone out of his hand, and when the boy reaches for it, Barnes pushes his arm away.
“You need to give me my phone back, bro,” the student says.
“Take it from me,” Barnes responds.
Deputies say the teen left the classroom and reported the altercation to a school resource deputy. Barnes was arrested the same day.
Barnes also used racially charged language while he attempted to provoke the student into fighting, according to the sheriff’s office. Authorities have not released what led up to the confrontation.
“What happened today is a betrayal of everything an educator is supposed to represent,” Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement. “Our teachers are supposed to create a safe space for learning and respect, not fear and intimidation. This behavior is completely unacceptable, and this teacher will face the consequences of their actions.”
Barnes was employed by a third-party service that partners with the Hillsborough County school system to provide paraeducators and substitute teachers.
