Employee suspended as Phenix City Schools investigates alleged violence against student
Phenix City Schools has placed an employee on leave after a confrontation captured on video surfaced on social media.
The alleged confrontation between a teacher and a student happened Monday at Central High School, and was captured on a video that was posted to Twitter. As of Tuesday afternoon, it has been viewed about 4,000 times.
Phenix City Schools superintendent Randy Wilkes emailed the Ledger-Enquirer the following statement Tuesday:
“Phenix City Schools takes very seriously matters regarding the safety and well being of students and employees. Following notification of unprofessional conduct, Phenix City Schools immediately placed an employee on paid administrative leave, pending the outcome of an investigation. Phenix City Schools will continue to provide a safe learning environment and will pursue excellence on behalf of all students.”
The 45-second video shows only the top of a person’s head, presumably the student. From the audio, the student and a woman, presumably the teacher, are arguing. A sound can be heard, and the top of the student’s head can be seen reacting.
Asked whether the video is authentic, Wilkes said, “I have seen video that appears authentic.”
Phenix City Police Chief Ray Smith told the L-E that his department isn’t investigating the allegation because no one has filed a criminal complaint, but one of the department’s officers who serves as a school resource officer at Central is aware of the alleged altercation.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to more accurately reflect what is seen and heard in the video posted to Twitter.
This story was originally published May 4, 2021 at 2:30 PM.
