Since when is teasing another student cause for a beat-down by a teacher? The answer should be NEVER, but in teacher Sherri Lynn Davis' world, if a child teases another, they just might end up needing medical care.
Isaiah Johnson, 13, who attends the Jamie's House Charter School in Houston was doing what many kids his age do: tease other students. One day last April, though, Isaiah's teasing episode turned into a nightmare for any kid. Davis, a 40-year-old science teacher at the school, witnessed Isaiah poking fun at a mentally challenged female student and decided she would handle it her way.
According to eye witnesses at the school, Davis backed the teen in to a corner amid laughter from fellow students, who thought the teacher would only reprimand him. Soon the laughter turned into gasps of horror as Davis began beating the student incessantly, punching, kicking and slapping the defenseless child. All the pint-size Isaiah could do was take the beating and lay on the ground helplessly.
Thankfully, fellow student Janiqua Johnson, also 13, captured the video of the beat-down on her cell phone. Students at the school say there were four or five other adult personnel who also witnessed the beating but were too afraid to intervene on the child's behalf.
Davis was placed on administrative leave after the incident and fired last Monday after officials viewed the video.
Sue Jones, a school spokesperson, was appalled after viewing the video. "It was horrifying. There's just no other word for that," she commented. According to Jones, school administrators are also investigating whether there were other employees present who witnessed the attack and did nothing to stop it.
Isaiah sustained a black eye, a knot on his head that is still present and several other bruises from the attack.
The Harris County sheriff's office has also opened an investigation surrounding the incident.
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That's what the problem is! Back in the day, we'd have been in more trouble for getting in trouble in school. Now the parents don't hold their kids accountable.
bentcolv01: It was very hard to watch as that damn teach beat that 13 yo. I took the liberty and called the school and the employees there were very upset with her, as well as the other adults that did nothing as she beat the child. As for Randy statement, ur mother should have crossed her legs and killed u when u were coming out. We would be less one KKK n the world. But, I say, I am Blessed that it was not my child because I would be n jail, I would beat her ass everytime I thought of it! A parent cannot do such to their child, what make the school different? Rany, my mother told me that when a person open their mouth, that's when you know he/she is a fool..Keep your moth close, then we would not have known you were a DAMN FOOL!!!!!! Before you can speak on the BLACK RACE, study it and read all you can about it and maybe, just maybe you might be able to say something about the BLACK RACE! You see, BLACK means POWER, the Judges black robs & all powerful positions have on black, representing power!
These kids are not as innocent as people think, just ask some teachers what is going on with the kids today and they will tell you some crazy stories. The kids are so out of control today and don't have respect for anyone. Unfortunately, that is how parents raise their kids today, to be disrespectful to others. Sad, Sad, Sad.
We don't know what kind of student he was. He could have been a student that caused alot of troble for that teacher and other teachers. I dose look like they are playing around but at some point when you push a teacher to a point they can snap and that's what happen she snaped. She may have told the student so do something and my may have mouthed off and thats what started it.
Yes, this looks horrible to the unknowing eye. No child should be beaten, but NO teacher should be pushed by an unruly child to this point. The other teachers probably knew this child to be unruly. Also, what were the circumstances that led up to this incident. Schools should stop just suspending the child home but bring the parents to sit in school with their children who are disrupting the class and before they sit in the class there should be footage of their childs behavior so they can see that this is a problem with their child. Schools have to start letting the parents be responsible for their children and stop keeping parents away from the schools when there is really a problem child disrupting the classes, bullying other students etc. Put the parent on the line to discipline the child and if the parent dont show up suspend the child until they do. Take all this stress off these teachers that lead to this frustration with an unruly child. Before you comment on my comment yes if it was my child I would be very upset, but I would still believe that this is not the norm for this teacher and I know whether my child had done anything to disrupt the class. If a child has no regard for his peers, or school authorities, it is a safe bet he has no respect for his parents, or his community and acts out everywhere. I am sorry that this happened to the child and the teacher, and she may have to pay a stiff price for what happened but it is time to find a way to bring these children in line so my child and others can get an education without feeling backed in a corner by a disruptive child also. they have no regard even for law enforcement because they know they can get authorities in trouble also.
Both the student and the teacher were wrong. Being a teacher could be just like a parent. Just like how people does correct their kids from wrong and cruelty, Davis job is to done that on Isaiah. By Davis reaction, she put her self at a level as how a student/child would think. She's the adult, she should of known better setting a better example leading her students. She should of gave Isaiah a punishment assignment having him wright a 100+ times "I'll have respect for my classmates" and written him up at the end of it and have his parents sign it or called his parents. She didn't had no right putting her hands on no ones child.
Sorry but I also think they made it more than it was unless there is more to the tape that their not showing. Not saying she was right but it look like she was playing. Those kicks didn't look like they were really touching the kid and neither did that one punch I saw. I had to watch it a couple of times.
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Comments: (144)
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By: pamela on 5/14/2010 8:46AM
Hell, I got beat down in school 25 years ago and then got beat down when I got home. Where was the system then? I want justice!
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By: K Mac on 5/17/2010 10:08AM
That's what the problem is! Back in the day, we'd have been in more trouble for getting in trouble in school. Now the parents don't hold their kids accountable.
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By: SHANNLINWO on 5/14/2010 8:46AM
LAWD... SHE WENT NUTS, SOME OF THESE SAME NUTS ARE TEACHERS AT OUR SCHOOLS....JOBS CHURCHES ...WHATEVER...U NAME IT.. THEY ARE THERE.
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By: bentcolv01 on 5/14/2010 8:52AM
bentcolv01: It was very hard to watch as that damn teach beat that 13 yo. I took the liberty and called the school and the employees there were very
upset with her, as well as the other adults that did nothing as she beat the child. As for Randy statement, ur mother should have crossed her legs and killed u when u were coming out. We would be less one KKK n the world. But, I say, I am Blessed that it was not my child because I would be n jail, I would beat her ass everytime I thought of it! A parent cannot do such to their child, what make the school different? Rany, my mother told me that when a person open their mouth, that's when you know he/she is a fool..Keep
your moth close, then we would not have known you were a DAMN FOOL!!!!!! Before you can speak on the BLACK RACE, study it and read all you can about it
and maybe, just maybe you might be able to say something about the BLACK RACE! You see, BLACK means POWER, the Judges black robs & all powerful positions have on black, representing power!
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By: Miss Peg on 5/14/2010 9:11AM
...and you, beating the teacher would make you better/more right than her... how, exactly?
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By: M on 5/14/2010 9:15AM
These kids are not as innocent as people think, just ask some teachers what is going on with the kids today and they will tell you some crazy stories. The kids are so out of control today and don't have respect for anyone. Unfortunately, that is how parents raise their kids today, to be disrespectful to others. Sad, Sad, Sad.
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By: Anointed on 5/14/2010 9:14AM
We don't know what kind of student he was. He could have been a student that caused alot of troble for that teacher and other teachers. I dose look like they are playing around but at some point when you push a teacher to a point they can snap and that's what happen she snaped. She may have told the student so do something and my may have mouthed off and thats what started it.
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By: Dianne on 5/14/2010 10:36PM
Yes, this looks horrible to the unknowing eye. No child should be beaten, but NO teacher should be pushed by an unruly child to this point. The other teachers probably knew this child to be unruly. Also, what were the circumstances that led up to this incident. Schools should stop just suspending the child home but bring the parents to sit in school with their children who are disrupting the class and before they sit in the class there should be footage of their childs behavior so they can see that this is a problem with their child. Schools have to start letting the parents be responsible for their children and stop keeping parents away from the schools when there is really a problem child disrupting the classes, bullying other students etc. Put the parent on the line to discipline the child and if the parent dont show up suspend the child until they do. Take all this stress off these teachers that lead to this frustration with an unruly child. Before you comment on my comment yes if it was my child I would be very upset, but I would still believe that this is not the norm for this teacher and I know whether my child had done anything to disrupt the class. If a child has no regard for his peers, or school authorities, it is a safe bet he has no respect for his parents, or his community and acts out everywhere. I am sorry that this happened to the child and the teacher, and she may have to pay a stiff price for what happened but it is time to find a way to bring these children in line so my child and others can get an education without feeling backed in a corner by a disruptive child also. they have no regard even for law enforcement because they know they can get authorities in trouble also.
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By: Adam on 5/22/2010 10:12PM
Both the student and the teacher were wrong. Being a teacher could be just like a parent. Just like how people does correct their kids from wrong and cruelty, Davis job is to done that on Isaiah. By Davis reaction, she put her self at a level as how a student/child would think. She's the adult, she should of known better setting a better example leading her students. She should of gave Isaiah a punishment assignment having him wright a 100+ times "I'll have respect for my classmates" and written him up at the end of it and have his parents sign it or called his parents. She didn't had no right putting her hands on no ones child.
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By: cece on 5/14/2010 10:14AM
Sorry but I also think they made it more than it was unless there is more to the tape that their not showing. Not saying she was right but it look like she was playing. Those kicks didn't look like they were really touching the kid and neither did that one punch I saw. I had to watch it a couple of times.
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