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Parkland High School student faces misdemeanor charges for assaulting a teacher

A video of a Parkland High School student hitting a teacher has been circulating on social media this week.

The recording prompted an investigation between Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools and the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office. 

On Tuesday, the juvenile was charged with one count of Communicating Threats and two counts of Misdemeanor Assault. 

Parkland Principal Noel Keener sent a message to families regarding the incident yesterday, saying the student would face disciplinary action in accordance with district policies. She also said the video is not reflective of her expectations for Parkland students.

In a statement, Superintendent Tricia McManus said the behavior would not be tolerated.

"At no time is it acceptable for students to put their hands on a teacher in Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools," McManus said. "My focus now is on making sure that our teacher is taken care of and has the support needed to navigate through the lasting effects of this incident.”

The sheriff’s office says no further information can be shared at this time due to the student’s status as a juvenile.

Amy Diaz covers education for WFDD in partnership with Report For America. You can follow her on Twitter at @amydiaze.

Amy Diaz began covering education in North Carolina’s Piedmont region and High Country for WFDD in partnership with Report For America in 2022. Before entering the world of public radio, she worked as a local government reporter in Flint, Mich. where she was named the 2021 Rookie Writer of the Year by the Michigan Press Association. Diaz is originally from Florida, where she interned at the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and freelanced for the Tampa Bay Times. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of South Florida, but truly got her start in the field in elementary school writing scripts for the morning news. You can follow her on Twitter at @amydiaze.

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