Videos show Clayton County teacher watching as students fight in her classroom

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — A Clayton County middle school teacher is coming under fire after videos surfaced that appeared to show her allowing students to fight one another as she watched.

Several disturbing videos shared with Channel 2 Action News were recorded inside a classroom at Rex Mill Middle School.

Desks appear to be moved out of the way as different students appear to take turns fighting. During most of the fights, the teacher can be seen watching from her desk. In one, she can be seen casually stopping two boys by gently moving one out of the way.

In one of the dozen videos shared with Channel 2 Action News, the teacher appears to ask, “Do you know how to slap box?”

Other students can be seen in the background standing on chairs and desks to record the fights.

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Channel 2′s Larry Spruill spoke with parents who say they are outraged by what they saw once the videos were posted on social media.

“So I pay taxes so you can teach them how to slap box?,” parent Tatiana Couben said. “I pay taxes, so you can teach these kids that, the way that they resolve conflict is with violence?”

Couben’s child is a student at Rex Mill Middle School. She says one part of the videos made her sick to her stomach.

“Every kid in those videos,...they were African American, young Black men. That’s a double not okay. They can’t think that behavior is okay,” Couben said.

An educator from Rex Mill Middle School, who asked not to be identified, told Spruill that she reported the incident and the teacher to the higher-ups several times.

“As an educator, my job is that I am a mandated reporter. I am supposed to speak out no matter what,” said the teacher.

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Clayton County Schools released a statement to Channel 2 Action News on Friday afternoon that read,

“The leadership of Clayton County Public Schools and Rex Mill Middle School are aware of the allegations that have been made. The district and school are following standard protocol in reviewing the allegations. As this is an ongoing investigation, the district is reserving any further comments.”

Couben is demanding that something be done now, before children get hurt.

“She needs to be fired. Her license needs to be taken and she needs to be under arrest for child abuse.”

It is unclear if the teacher could face criminal charges. Since she has not been charged, Channel 2 Action News has chosen not to identify her.

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