The Lee County School District is investigating a report of a teacher slapping a student at Royal Palm School in Fort Myers. Jahrel Luster, 14, says his teacher slapped him in class at the school last month. The teacher has been re-assigned.
"She back-handed me in the face, and I was in shock," Luster said. "Everybody else was in shock. Their jaws dropped."
He said that when he returned to class the next day, the teacher was still there, but only for that day.
When asked about the incident, a spokesman for the Lee County School District wrote:
"We have an ongoing investigation. When we receive allegations about the health, safety and welfare of our students, we re-assign the teacher so they are no longer in the same classroom."
Jahrel's mother Judie Burroughs said that her son is deeply troubled by the slapping incident, and thinks the school district ows him an apology - and should offer him some kind of counseling.
"And whatever else they see fit to do for him, to help him get through whatever he's going through in his mind," Burroughs said.
She said that she has filed a report with the Fort Myers Police Department, and wishes to press charges of battery against the teacher.
