A high school teacher in Florida was arrested on child abuse charges Friday, two days after receiving the “Teacher of the Year” award, authorities said.
Caroline Lee, a 60-year-old English teacher for Duval County Public Schools, allegedly struck a female student who criticized her selection as the award’s recipient, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
The student reportedly criticized Lee for being unworthy of the award and accused the teacher of using the N-word in class.
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The teacher is accused of striking the student in the face and giving her a bloody nose, according to the arrest report.
Lee allegedly directed the student to come to her office, which she did not do because she was “terrified,” the student told investigators.
The teacher reportedly stormed into the girl’s classroom and demanded the student follow her, an affidavit said.
Alone in Lee’s classroom, the teacher closed her door and “reached across the table and struck her on her face with the heel of her palm,” the student told the police.
“Lee then began repeatedly calling her a ‘f***ing b****’ as she landed several more strikes on the top of her head” and “kicked her on her lower leg” after the student tried grabbing her arms, officers said the student reported.
Surveillance footage showed the student concealing her face as she exited Lee’s classroom, according to the report.
Florida ‘Teacher of the Year’ arrested for hitting pupil who criticized award https://t.co/Wor3qbMiNe pic.twitter.com/w8fz1GI8b4
— New York Post (@nypost) November 1, 2021
The teacher admitted to being in the classroom but rejected that she struck the student, authorities reported.
Lee said she was told by another student that the Instagram exchange contained a message that could be seen as a “threat to kill her,” according to police.
The educator allegedly wanted to meet with the student in private to discuss the message, police said.
Lee also confirmed she said the N-word while teaching John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, according to the arrest warrant.
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She has been “removed from the classroom and will not return, pending the judicial and internal procedures,” said Tyrus Lyles, the high school’s principal.
“It is very disappointing, but I am compelled to share with you that one of our teachers was arrested today on campus for child abuse. Even more disappointing, the teacher arrested is our recent teacher of the year nominee,” he said. “This arrest stems from an incident that allegedly occurred today involving one of our students, and I have been in contact personally with that student’s family. While our processes assume innocence, these allegations and the resulting arrest are obviously far below the standards and expectations we have for our school. We pride ourselves on providing all students with exceptional instruction preparing them for the best colleges and rewarding careers. This type of behavior is not tolerated here or anywhere in our district.”
