On October 27 at Thomas Edison Middle School, student Joshua Flores was choked by his gym teacher. Apparently, when Joshua asked another student for some paper, the teacher got upset and started hitting and choking him. The teacher, named Javier Valladarez, left bruises and scratches on Joshua's neck. Apparently during the fight, Joshua tried to call his mother on his cell phone for help. She didn't answer, but when she called back shortly after, Valladarez accidentally answered it. Joshua's mother was able to hear a small part of the fight. Joshua Flores was 12 years old.
What I especially hate about instances like this (other than the obvious fact that a grown, fit man who was supposed to be a trustworthy figure choked a child) is that the school didn't even let the mother know what happened. According to the article, she didn't know until she went to pick Joshua up from the school and Joshua himself told her. It is the job of an institution that teaches and takes care of children to let the parents know when their child will come home with bruises around their neck! What's worse is that the teacher wasn't even fired. He was placed on "administrative leave" meaning that his pay benefits will still be intact! Schools need to take more responsibility in hiring and firing their teachers. If a teacher who has just hurt a student needs to be arrested before he's fired, there is a huge gaping hole in the system.
http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2013/10/27/disd-teacher-arrested-on-leave-after-choking-allegations/
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