One on one: Duval superintendent weighs in on accusations of teachers striking students

Nearly half a dozen local parents tell Action News Jax their child has been hit by a teacher in the last two weeks.

In an Action News Jax investigation – we went straight to Duval County’s top educator for answers.

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Nearly half a dozen local parents tell Action News Jax their child has been hit by a teacher in the last two weeks.

In an Action News Jax investigation – we went straight to Duval County’s top educator for answers.

In an exclusive interview, a Biltmore Elementary School parent said her son was slammed to the floor by his music teacher last Friday.

Action News Jax is not saying that teacher’s name since no charges have been filed.

“He just grabbed my arm and threw me on the ground,” said 4th grader, Charlie Hammond. “I guess he wanted me to sit down, but he didn’t tell me that.”

“What’s it like to hear your son was [allegedly] thrown down in class?” Action News Jax Reporter Russell Colburn asked Charlie’s mother, Dominique Wiggins.

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“It’s upsetting,” Wiggins said.  “It’s really upsetting.”

Wiggins immediately tweeted to the Duval County Public Schools Twitter account, "Your employee assaulted my son," to which DCPS responded it’s "confirmed with school leadership an investigation is taking place."

Thursday, Action News Jax sat down with Duval County Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene about this alleged incident, and others.

“We have 7,000 teachers in our school district and we mentioned five cases,” Dr. Greene said.  “That means that our teachers have taken hold of the training that they have been given, as well as our administrators are constantly working with their teachers.”

Dr. Greene said teachers are being asked to deal with more, but that everyone goes through extensive training to diffuse situations that arise in a classroom.

Right now, Wiggins’ case and at least three others remain under investigation.

“He needs to be reprimanded, and I need an apology,” Wiggins said.

One case Action News Jax recently told you about, in which a James Weldon Johnson Middle teacher was accused of backhanding a student, was ruled accidental.

Cox Media Group