An assault and larceny report was filed against a teacher in Michigan after a 16-year-old student claimed that her teacher tore a “Women for Trump” button off her clothing.
Sadie Earegood, a junior at Mason High School, told WILX that media technology teacher Paul Kato yanked the accessory off because he didn’t like the button.
“I was just really shocked that a teacher would especially do that,” she said. “He’s talking about the ‘Women for Trump’ pin and I said, ‘that’s fine you don’t have to like it, we can have our opinions.’”
She said that there was a struggle where Kato put his hand on her shoulder.
“He grabbed it, and he pulled, and I tried to push his hand away, and he grabbed my shoulder,” Earegood said. “[Kato] just kind of put his hand there, and then he started pulling more and more, and I just started backing up.”
She said the teacher then placed the pin upside down on his own shirt and said it belonged that way.
Students say they haven’t seen Kato since the incident. Mason Superintendent Ronald Drzewicki released a statement the said, “Once we have a complete understanding of the situation, we will take appropriate action.”
Earegood’s mother, Capi Eargood, filed a police report against Kato, who is originally from Nigeria, where he founded a residential soccer school.
“I made a criminal assault and larceny report against the teacher,” she said. “He had no right to put his hands on my child over a pin or anything else. The first amendment gives everyone the right to express their freedom of speech. No one should get that upset about someone wearing a political pin.”
The dress code for the school doesn’t say anything about political accessories being prohibited and states that students “may distribute or display, at appropriate times, non-sponsored, non-commercial written material and petitions; buttons, badges, or other insignia.”
Other students at the school have come to Kato’s defense.
“Her perspective must have been totally different than what Kato’s perspective was, but from witnesses around it seemed as a jokingly matter,” said Ina Aker, a senior at Mason High School.
“It’s been the talk of the school, so I just feel like it’s unfair because anyone who has Kato knows Kato, he’s not that kind of person,” Aker said.
