DETROIT – Angry parents at Detroit’s Edison Public School Academy are demanding answers following an alleged violent outburst by a substitute teacher.
The incident happened on Wednesday (May 14) afternoon in a fifth-grade classroom at the charter school, which is not far from Eastern Market.
According to parents, the unnamed teacher grew angry with the fifth graders for their behavior, and she began pushing, shoving, and striking multiple kids.
Reportedly, the teacher also threw chairs in the classroom, and a number of students were injured in the outburst.
One of the parents told Local 4 that the school told parents not to file a police report following the incident, and they were initially light on details.
“Please know that we are thoroughly investigating the incident and are confident that the situation has been fully resolved,” said Kristina Peart, the schools principal said in an email to students on wednesday night. “Our staff continues to be vigilant in maintaining a safe, respectful, and nurturing learning environment for all students.”
Edison is chartered through Oakland University and managed by a company called New Paradigm for Education.
“Nothing matters more than the safety and well-being of our students,” Edison Superintendent Ralph Bland said in a statement on Thursday.
“We’ve fully addressed the situation in accordance with our policies, and will always take the necessary steps to protect our scholars. We have zero tolerance for anything that puts our students at risk.”
The Detroit Police Department is investigating the incident. The school filed a police report at the 7th Precinct.