Gwinnett County

Gwinnett County teacher left bloodied after being attacked by student, cellphone footage shows

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Cellphone video shared with Channel 2 Action News shows a teacher being repeatedly punched inside a Gwinnett County classroom Tuesday afternoon.

The incident happened just before noon at Discovery High School in Lawrenceville, according to the wife of the teacher attacked. It left him with a bloodied mouth and head injuries along with a feeling of dizziness, she said.

“I don’t think people should have the crap beat out of them when they go to work,” she said to Channel 2′s Bureau Chief Matt Johnson on Channel 2 Action News at 5:00, asking to remain anonymous. “I just want the students and the teachers to be safe, because my husband signed up to be a teacher. He loves his job.”

Video shows another student jump on top of the student who started punching before the situation ended.

The Gwinnett County superintendent Dr. Calvin J. Watts responded in a letter to parents on Wednesday. Watts described the incident as “unacceptable.”

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On Monday, the teacher who was hit spoke with the parents of the student who punched him about his poor performance in class, according to the teacher’s wife. The next day, that teacher was beaten in his English classroom.

“I’m really glad that it wasn’t worse than that,” his wife said.

It’s unclear what discipline or criminal charges the student involved will face. For now, there’s relief that another student felt the need to get involved when no one else could.

“I just would like better security,” the teacher’s wife said. “And I would like for a student not have to be the one that pulls another student off of my loved one.”

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The incident happened as the Gwinnett School board is re-evaluating changes to its discipline policy — made earlier this school year — which eased standards for tribunals. Currently, school officials are reporting a 31% increase in the number of students involved in fights across the district.

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