Teaching Assistants Charged in Student Assault

Raleigh, N.C. — Two former teaching assistants at a Raleigh school face charges in connection with an altercation involving a 12-year-old student.

Cey-Bristol Williams, 23, was arrested and charged Jan. 3 with simple assault and misdemeanor child abuse in connection with the Dec. 4 incident at Longview School. He was out of jail on a $2,000 bond.

An arrest warrant on the same charges is outstanding for the other assistant, Don Jackson, 26.

Wake County Public School System spokesman Michael Evans would not comment on the details of the case, but said the men resigned from their positions a day after the incident.

Williams had been with the school system since March, Jackson since August, Evans said.

Raleigh police also served the male student with a juvenile petition for property damage.

According to court records, he used a wooden object to attack one teaching assistant's cars.

They were part of an intervention team that had been working with the student.

Longview Principal Pam Jerro called it "a very unfortunate incident," and said the teaching assistants "used extremely poor judgment."

According to the Wake County schools Web site, Longview "serves students in grades 6 through 12 who have been identified as in need of special education services and whose academic and behavioral needs require intensive and intrusive intervention."

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due_whats_right, yes I know about restraint procedures for children. I was at one time a TA in Wake County for a BED class and after college I taught Special Ed in Cumberland County. I stand by my comment that if the principal went on record stating these guys were inappropriate then they must have gone too far and she had no choice but to call them out. Like many other professions, teachers show a united front to the outside public but in private there are some employees who should not be in charge of students. When the facts come out as to what these TAs really did, the comments on this story may look different.

daisy
January 8, 2008 10:54 p.m.

To expect staff members to day in and day out act like they are automatons devoid of emotion is unrealistic. To continuously put them in dangerous situations where acting human could result in the end of a career is nothing short of criminal. We must seriously start talking about student misbehavior. There ought to be some things that children just can’t do in school. If protecting the learning environment of other children isn’t reason enough, then it must be done to safeguard our most treasured educational assets, our educators.

Black Educator
January 8, 2008 6:56 p.m.

This situation is most regrettable, but not for the reasons that most would think of. This is neither a case of assault, nor child abuse. The staff members have been the only ones hurt, and are the ones who stand to lose the most from this ordeal. More than anything, this escapade is a reflection of the depressed state that schools such as this one operate in. Even educators have no idea of the level of disrespect and disruption of the learning environment that is the normal mode of operation at these schools. Staff members are continuously put into situations where their professional livelihoods could be taken away with even the slightest misstep. And there isn’t enough training or professionalism in the world to ensure that every situation is handled according to the book. To expect staff members to day in and day out act like they are automatons devoid of emotion is unrealistic. To continuously put them in dangerous situations where acting human could result in the end of a ca

Black Educator
January 8, 2008 5:45 p.m.

If people want to see a true exodus of teachers from the profession just tell them, directly or indirectly, that they don't have the right to defend themselves or their property. Those are rights guaranteed by the Constitution-and just working for a school system does not negate those rights.

shep8851
January 8, 2008 5:06 p.m.

Daisy, I do hope you understand that restraining can get very physical. I have seen schools go into lockdown mode just to restrain one child so even proper restraints can cause injury. And for MisunderstoodMind, assault is a very broad charge. I can push up against someone and that is an assault. Truth be told, I am sure all of the teachers at Longview could probably have assault charges brought against these students at some point or time. Review your book on how charges and filed - the time between the incident and date charges were filed mean nothing. And where you may think they were out of line, given that school, I am sure all are taught on how to properly "touch" a child. And for Iamforjustice, sometimes we can be so heavenly bound that we are no earthly good. Remember to turn the cheek when someone robs you or damages your property. And for those who have no clue, WAKE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WOULD NOT HAVE PAID FOR THE DAMAGE TO THE CAR. PERIOD.