Monday, the Pulaski County Sheriff's Department launched an investigation into a fight at Fuller Middle School
caught on camera. The teacher who broke up the fight returned to the classroom Monday, but won't be back Tuesday.
Tom Griffin is the social studies teacher who broke up the fight between two students last Tuesday. The district put him on leave for the rest of the week because a parent accused him of pushing her daughter.
Monday night, the district told FOX16 Griffin should not have returned to school. Tiffany Howard's daughter was involved in the fight and appears in the video. "He picks my daughter up and he throws her, and she landed on her back, so I mean, I want some justice," says Howard.
Since this is a personnel issue, the district can't comment on what happened when Griffin was out of the classroom, but we do know Griffin returned to the classroom Monday. However, the district says he will not be back Tuesday because someone called the child safety hotline and the Pulaski County Sheriff's Department automatically launched an investigation.
"We'll be looking at the video. We'll be talking with some people and trying to determine if there's anything to go forward with it," says John Rehrauer.
The sheriff's department says while it's unusual to get video of a fight, it's important to dig beyond it. "Who knows what happened before the tape started rolling or after, " he added.
With no school resource officers in PCSSD classrooms, Rehrauer says teachers have a tough job. "It's an awkward position. You've got a fight going on in your classroom, that's a place to learn not to fight and, you know, I don't envy those teachers at all being put in that type of position and making a decision while the fight's going on," Rehrauer.
He asks parents to "teach your children, you know, back off a little bit. Take a deep breath. Wait a second before you start swinging at the other person."
The reason the district gives for pulling Griffin back out of the classroom is that he should have gotten a letter saying he is suspended until further notice.
The sheriff's department doesn't know how long the investigation will take, or what action will be taken. The case could end up going to the prosecutor who could file charges, but it's just too early to say what will ultimately happen.
