ATHENS, Ga. — A month after an investigation into a middle school teacher’s actions in his Athens-Clarke County classroom, he has been formally charged.
Earlier this month, Channel 2′s Candace McCowan spoke with a family who said a video shows their 13-year-old being put in a chokehold by his teacher, 30-year-old Brockton Tatum.
The incident happened Nov. 30 during algebra class at W.R. Coile Middle School.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
“He’s nice to me, I never thought he would do that to me,” said Jaden Barnett.
Jaden said he was caught off guard when an argument between him and another student ended with the arms of a teacher wrapped around his neck.
“I was like I couldn’t breathe. I started seeing black dots and stuff. I told him I couldn’t breathe, he didn’t do anything he got tighter and tighter,” said Jaden.
Eventually, Barnett said another teacher broke it up.
TRENDING STORIES:
- Father says his daughter’s car is melting in the driveway. Honda says it’s not covered by warranty
- 19-year-old arrested for shooting, killing woman inside Atlanta McDonald’s, police say
- US federal judge accepts Georgia’s redrawn congressional, legislative maps
Athens-Clarke County police issued warrants charging Tatum with aggravated assault. He turned himself in on Dec. 22.
After the incident, the Athens-Clarke County School District told Channel 2 Action News that the incident was under investigation and Tatum was on leave pending that investigation. His current status with the district is unclear.
According to jail records, Tatum posted bond and was released about 12 hours after turning himself in.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
IN OTHER NEWS:
©2023 Cox Media Group
