15-Year-Old Girl Sentenced to Year in Detention Facility for Attack on High School Teacher

A teenager captured on camera brutally beating her British literature teacher over a cell phone will spend a year in detention to reflect on her actions. The 15-year-old girl, whose identity remains undisclosed, pleaded guilty to aggravated battery after the attack that occurred on January 26 in Rockdale County, Georgia.

WAGA-TV reported in Atlanta on Wednesday that the girl will also be under five years of supervised release following her detention. The assault occurred at Heritage High School in Conyers, Georgia when Tiwana Turner, the teacher, tried confiscating the girl’s cellphone.

Turner expressed her concern over the issue. Stating that cell phones have become a significant problem and are almost like a source of livelihood for students. “You take it away, some of them go berserk.” She said of the incident.

Read: Florida Teacher Found Unresponsive After Attack by 5-Year-Old: Police

In this particular instance, the attack was captured by what seemed to be a different cellphone camera

Turner recounted the incident, stating that the student suddenly attacked her and forcibly brought her down to the ground, causing her to break her leg. “I had to stay at the hospital for six days, and the numbness persisted throughout my entire stay,” she shared.

As the President of the Georgia Federation of Teachers, Turner has been unable to resume her teaching duties since the incident. “I am no longer able to work, teach my students, or engage in my usual activities. I am unable to drive and need crutches and a walker to move around,” she revealed to WAGA.

In an earlier interview with the station, Turner shared that such behavior is not uncommon. And both students and parents are partly responsible for the increasing number of attacks on teachers. “When we search the web for ‘student assaults on teachers,’ we come across numerous incidents across the country. Which is driving teachers out of the classroom,” she remarked in the January interview.

She went on to state that discipline problems are a significant obstacle to creating a conducive learning environment, which is the primary challenge for attracting and retaining teachers. Turner went on to stress the gravity of the situation, stating that “we are in a state of emergency” when it comes to the classroom environment.

She believes that a zero-tolerance policy is necessary to combat this issue. Although it’s worth noting that such policies may not always work out as intended in public schools. Nevertheless, it is an issue that requires serious attention and action.

This year alone, multiple student-on-teacher assaults have been recorded

Not only was Turner’s attack captured on camera and widely circulated, but there have been other incidents of student-on-teacher assaults that have gone viral this year. In Florida, a security camera recorded a significantly large student knocking down a teacher and brutally punching and stomping her. According to reports, this incident occurred after the teacher confiscated the student’s Nintendo Switch.

“He’s not a threat.” A teacher at Matanzas High School in Florida was brutally attacked by a 6’6, 270lbs 17-year old student because she took away his Nintendo Switch away from him. Now “mental health advocates” are defending the student. pic.twitter.com/ctfquAVHyA

— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) February 24, 2023

While a “zero-tolerance” approach may not be the solution, it is also not acceptable to dismiss these incidents as a byproduct of our society’s addiction to smartphones. In this specific case, the 15-year-old responsible for the attack will have to spend a year in detention and another five years on supervised release to reflect on her actions and learn from them.

However, it is important to note that someone should have taught her this lesson before the justice system had to intervene. Moral guidance from responsible parents – note the emphasis on plural – is crucial if we are to witness any positive change. This incident did not occur in isolation. And it is highly likely that similar incidents will take place again – perhaps even before Turner can return to teaching.