2 students arrested after allegedly attacking teacher at Florida high school
Two students were arrested after allegedly violently beating a teacher at a high school in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Thursday, according to the Fort Lauderdale Police Department.
The altercation, captured on video, shows Jayvis L. McClover, 19, and Roddrick McQueen, 19, approach a teacher at Dillard High School at approximately 2 p.m. on Thursday, "verbally threatening to attack him," police said.
The two, who are both enrolled at Dillard High School, then "intentionally launched a synchronized physical attack" on the teacher. McClover and McQueen "repeatedly punched the teacher in the face and head with closed fists," causing the educator to fall to the ground, police said.
The students continued to punch the teacher while he was on the ground "in a fetal position attempting to guard himself against injury," police said.
Dillard High School security staff intervened to pull the two students away from the teacher, who suffered injuries to his face in the form of "swelling and bruising and reported pain in his back as a result of the attack."
McClover and McQueen were both charged with battery on a public or private education employee, according to police. It was not immediately clear if they had legal representation.
Daniel Foganholi Sr., board member for the Florida Department of Education, said in a statement that the incident was a "failure of respect, discipline and accountability."
"No educator should fear for their safety while doing their job. Schools must be places of learning, not battlegrounds," Foganholi said.
He emphasized the need for solutions to prevent these incidents from happening, including "stronger disciplinary policies, better security measures and a culture that respects and protects our teachers."
"If we fail to act, we fail our educators, our students and our future," Foganholi said. "Enough is enough."
Both McClover and McQueen were ordered not to return to Dillard High School, according to court records.
