FORNEY, Texas — A mother said she grew worried after receiving a call Wednesday from an assistant principal from her son’s school, Crosby Elementary, in Forney Independent School District.
"She was like, 'well, he didn't do anything. The teacher taped him to his desk.' I was like hold-up! Did you say t-a-p-e-d? And she said yes. She repeated what I said, T-a-p-e-d,” Charlotte Johnson explained.
The mom said she was stunned learning her 10-year-old child allegedly being restrained by a teacher wasn’t the only issue. She said she was also told the boy was assaulted by some classmates while he was taped to his desk.
“At that point, students that sit behind him started getting up, slapping him, and punching him in his head. I said, well what were you doing when they was doing that? He's like, I had my hands, like this, covering his face,” the worried mom continued.
Johnson said her child is one of the smallest students in his class at Crosby Elementary. She described him as having dwarfism.
The concerned mom said the boy told her he managed to wiggle out of the tape and asked the teacher if he could go to the nurse.
“He said she grabbed me and she came over and said, ‘You know I was just playing’. Then she allowed him to go to the nurse. That's how the school found out after he visited the nurse,” Johnson added.
Kristin Zastoupil, a spokesperson from Forney ISD, shared the following statement:
“We are aware of the allegations, and an investigation is underway. There are two sides to every story, and we need to allow time for the investigation process to take place before commenting further."
In a statement on March 2, Forney ISD said a "thorough investigation into the allegations" was conducted and it was determined that the incident "does not meet the elements of the criminal offense of Unlawful Restraint, due to the finding that the student did not have considerable restriction of freedom of movement." No criminal charges were filed, the district said.
"Forney ISD sets high standards for our educators, both in classroom instruction and in the fostering of a positive and supportive learning environment for all of our students. The teacher’s conduct in this situation did not meet those standards, and the District has taken the necessary steps to address that failure and reinforce our expectations," said the district in a statement.
The teacher in question was referred to as a "former staff member" in the district's statement.
"No mother wants this to happen to their child. When I send my son to school. I send him to school to learn, and put him in your care for you to protect him. And that's what her job was, to teach him and protect him. Not harm him."
For now, the child’s family continues demanding answers, as Forney ISD and police continue investigating.