What began as an act of self-defense by a school district employee escalated, leaving a student with a cut lip and an abrasion to her left collarbone.
According to an arrest affidavit from the School District of Palm Beach County Police Department, school police officers were summoned to a bus at William T. Dwyer High School around 2:50 p.m. Tuesday after the driver reported a disruptive student.
The arrest report states that school district employee and paraprofessional SS responded to the scene and later called for additional support staff, including two administrators and two police officers, to assist in removing the student.
As responding officers walked to the back of the bus, a struggle broke out between the student and S. Officers reported that both had their fists raised and appeared to be attempting to punch each other in the face and upper body.
Officers, with help from the two administrators, stepped in to restrain the student and separate them from S. The arrest report says that’s when S elevated herself on a bus seat and punched the student in the face, an additional two times.
The criminal complaint says the officer pushed S, 49, away to stop her from beating the student.
Following the incident, the student was taken from the bus and checked for injuries. The arrest report says that as a result of the fight, the child suffered cuts to the interior of her lip and an abrasion to her collarbone.
William T. Dwyer High School sophomore Daphne Arntz said students all over campus were talking about the fist fight between the staff member and classmate after a video made the rounds on social media.
“They were just kind of talking about it and how it’s just kind of like really surprising,” Arntz said. “You kind of see her hitting the kid. I was really in disbelief. I wouldn’t expect that from an adult.”
The arrest affidavit says S’s actions rose from a level of self-defense at the start of the interaction to “intentional and unnecessary infliction of physical injury upon a child.”
S was booked on charges of child abuse without great bodily injury.
One parent, who didn’t want to be identified, is coming to the employee’s defense.
“I don’t think she should be facing charges, not if the kid threw the first punch, nope,” she said.
CBS12 contacted S, who had no comment when reached by phone.
On Wednesday, Dwyer T. High School sent out a statement to school families and staff stating:
“This message is to inform you that SS, a non-instructional staff member, was recently arrested for an incident that occurred on a school bus on campus yesterday during dismissal. Ms. S was charged with cruelty toward a child (abuse without great bodily harm). Ms. S has been removed from our campus and will not return, pending the outcome of an investigation. The safety and well-being of our students is our absolute highest priority. Any conduct that threatens the safety and well-being of our students is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. The School District holds all employees to the highest standards of conduct and is committed to a safe learning environment for all students. We always expect every staff member to meet the professional and ethical standards necessary to provide the best possible educational experience. Please understand that, as this is an ongoing investigation, I cannot share additional details at this time.”
The high school asks if anyone has any additional information, they should contact the School Police Department at 561-434-8700.
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Source: cbs12
