Texas student slaps middle school teacher who is now on administrative leave

CROWLEY, Texas — A cell phone video showing a student slapping a teacher at Summer Creek Middle School is now under investigation by Crowley ISD.

“He sent me the video. My mouth just dropped,” said LaShay Hollie, a concerned Crowley ISD parent.

The video, shared by another parent after being airdropped to several students, shows a seventh-grade male student striking a teacher during an altercation last Friday.

“Wow. Like, why did this happen? Why did they take it this far? What provoked this child to want to slap an adult?” Hollie said.

Hollie said she did not hear from the school immediately after the incident but, like many parents, expressed her concerns after seeing the video on social media.

“I looked at it several times because, on both ends, I just feel like they’re both wrong because I don’t think a child should put their hands on an adult,” she said.

The mother of the student seen in the video said that her son suffered a busted lip which led to his face swelling up after the teacher punched him. Crowley ISD Police took her son into custody according to the mother without treating him for his injuries. 

She said she learned about the altercation after arriving at the school to pick up her son who had already been transported to the school’s police department, she says without anyone notifying her. The boy’s mother says her son has had constant headaches since the incident. 

Crowley ISD confirmed that the same video is being used as evidence in a school police investigation. 

A district spokesperson provided a statement saying they are aware of “a physical altercation involving a teacher and a student” and that they are investigating the situation. The district also stated that their “top priority remains the safety and well-being” of students and staff.

“I just feel like he should have just restrained him more versus to where he’s looking like he’s throwing punches at the boy,” Hollie said.

On Monday, the principal of Summer Creek Middle School sent a letter to parents acknowledging the video’s circulation on social media and informing them that the teacher involved has been placed on administrative leave.  

Principal Joseph Cato also wrote that the names of both the teacher and student will not be made public. 

“I just feel like they need to put him back in training. And then the boy should get consequences as well,” Hollie said.