A 16-year-old high school student and his teacher engaged in a fistfight and the confrontation was caught on video. The student was reportedly charged while the educator is under investigation.
The incident took place inside a classroom at a Philadelphia school called the Lincoln High School. The teacher was seen in the video kicking and punching the student as the 16-year-old did the same. The video was said to be recorded by a classmate.
The teenager was charged with aggravated assault but his identity is being withheld because he is still a minor. A police official familiar with the case said in a statement that an argument started after the student was late to class, New York Daily News reported. The argument that turned physical ensued after the period was done.
Witnesses said that the teen was the aggressor but in the video, it seemed that both the teacher and the student participated in the confrontation. A senior high schooler named Austin Augustine, who witnessed the incident, said, "I don't think (the teacher) was trying to swing. I saw him throw one punch, but the kid was throwing a lot of punches."
The instructor reportedly had a wound that required stitches after the fistfight. In one part of the video, the instructor was seen putting the 16-year-old in a headlock, CBS recounted. It is not yet clear if the instructor will be facing charges regarding the matter.
Lee Whack, the School District of Philadelphia spokesman, said that they take the safety of both their students and teachers very seriously. Whack added that violence of any kind in the school is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. The school district is now cooperating with the Philadelphia Police Department, and they are also conducting their own investigation.
The teacher who took part in the fistfight has not released any statement about the matter.
