FORT WORTH, Texas — A video now seen hundreds of thousands of times shows a freshman striking a substitute teacher in Fort Worth’s Castleberry High School. District police are now leading an investigation, but the student’s mother said there’s more to the story than what you see in the video.
Brittany Evans told WFAA her daughter is autistic, bi-polar, and battles depression with anxious distress.
“I was upset for the teacher," Evans said. "I was upset for her even being in that situation."
Evans said she’s had more than 10 meetings with district leaders trying to get her daughter moved into special education classes.
“I wish the school would label her correctly so we didn’t have to go through this," Evans said.
The district said they can’t comment on conversations with the student’s family.
After striking the teacher, the video shows the student call Evans using racially offensive language while on the phone.
“You want to talk to her because she’s Black and she’s [expletive] pissing me off right now,” the student said.
Evans told WFAA she doesn't know "where she would learn something like that."
“I know I don’t throw racial slangs ever," she said. "I know none of my family members that live in the house with me throw racial slangs ever.”
The district told WFAA they are aware of and disturbed by the video. They also commended the teacher’s behavior.
“We support the teacher and her response in the strongest terms possible,” the district said in a statement. “Because criminal activity occurred, the district immediately turned this matter over to law enforcement.”
Castleberry ISD Police are leading the investigation, but did not respond to request for comment. Evans said her daughter is facing a three-day suspension, with more punishment possible.
The Executive Director for the United Educators Association told WFAA the student needs to face a criminal charge.
“What that student did is a felony under state law,” United Educators Association’s Steve Poole said. “Assaulting a public servant - and a teacher is a public servant - is a felony. And hopefully the student will face appropriate consequences.”
As she waits to learn more on what is next for her daughter, Evans said she wanted to apologize to the teacher.
“She is an amazing woman. She is calm, very collected, super sweet. I wanted to reach out to her but didn’t know how,” Evans said. “She is, in my eyes, a saint. And needs an award.”