A Michigan teacher’s aide was fired and arrested after allegedly slamming a nonverbal student into a window, throwing him into a chair, then telling another teacher, “he deserved it.”
Robin Popour, 54, faces felony third-degree child abuse after attacking a 13-year-old student at a learning center near Escanaba, Michigan, that serves students with “moderate to severe impairments.”
Authorities report the incident happened on Dec. 17, 2025. According to a police report obtained by WZMQ and Daily Press, Popour was trying to get a male student to sit down and started yelling at him. Teachers’ aides told investigators this student is a teenager, but has the mental faculties of a 5-year-old.
One teacher’s aide told police that when the student made a pinching gesture toward Popour, she grabbed him by the shoulder and pushed him against a window, then “threw” the student into a chair.
Popour also reportedly threatened to “slap his hands” when the student continued to make pinching motions at her.
Another aide reported, “Robin has said many times before, ‘If that kid touches me, I will f***ing hit him back. I don’t care if I lose my job over this.’”
“I don’t give a f*** if I left marks on him,” Popour also allegedly said.
She also reportedly told another aide, “I don’t care if I got him. He deserved it.”
Witnesses added that Popour also made threatening remarks several times throughout the school year about the victim.
“Robin has said many times throughout the year, she does not like him, has no use for him, and if he ever touches her she will lose her job and hit him back,” one aide said.
“Robin talks openly in the classroom about the things she would do, if [the child] hurt her… it felt to me that Robin was almost looking for something like this to happen,” another aide added.
The day after the incident, one teacher’s aide found bruises on the boy’s arm that are believed to be connected to the altercation. Three aides filed incident reports with the school’s administrators that same day, WJMN reported.
The next day, Popour was fired. Deputies were also called to the school to investigate, and the boy’s parents were notified.
In a statement to local news outlets, Delta Schoolcraft Intermediate School District Superintendent Kristina Hansen said the school system was unaware of Popour’s remarks and conduct leading up to the incident, revealing gaps in their reporting system that need to be remedied.
“As a school leader, I want to be very clear that this behavior is unacceptable and not tolerated. Our Learning Center staff members are compassionate, patient, super heroes who provide a safe and supportive learning environment for all students in their care.
Staff members receive training multiple times per year about verbal de-escalation strategies that are trauma-informed.
After this incident, we (administrative team) determined a need to provide additional training and support to staff members so that they feel empowered to report concerns. Student safety is always at the forefront of what we do.
When we learn there are ways to improve, we fix that.”
If convicted, Popour could face up to two years in prison or five years probation.
