A Tennessee high school student has been expelled after lighting a teacher’s hair on fire. The incident occurred on Friday, September 28 at Haywood High School after a stink bomb was set off in class.
A teacher was watching the back of the classroom after said stink bomb was set off. The student used a lighter to set the teacher’s hair on fire while the teacher was monitoring the back.
Some students in the back “got in her face” then asked her why she was checking out the black kids.
The Investigation
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The teacher began to walk away when a teacher assistant alerted her that her hair was on fire. The teacher patted her hair to put out the flames.
Officer Anthony Jones and Assistant Principal Alex Aikens then searched the back row of the classroom and found a black cigarette lighter.
Heywood County Schools Superintendent Joey Hassell said, “the teacher went over to a group of students. When she turned away, I think the student took a lighter and it got the back of her hair.”
Disciplinary Hearing
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Jones interviewed three students while Aikens and another assistant principal, Steven Hoofkin, spoke with the rest of the class. Two students helped identify the assailant who has been charged with aggravated assault. The student’s disciplinary hearing will be held as early as within the next week.
“The school deems that it was a level five offense, which is 180 days where the student has been expelled, but we’ll have an upcoming disciplinary hearing authority appeal,” Hassell said on Monday, October 1.
The unidentified teacher did not need medical attention returned to school two days after the incident occurred.
Hassell said, “we just will not tolerate that behavior. Obviously, we want to ensure that everyone has due process and that we’re fair in the process, but we expect appropriate behavior from our students and we will ensure that we protect our staff.”
