HOUSTON – A Lewis Middle School student says what started as a confrontation over being late to class ended with her being slapped in the face by a substitute teacher and criminal charges being filed.
12-year-old Kheristian Hutchinson, a sixth grader at the Aldine Independent School District school, says the incident happened during class on Thursday.
She claims the male substitute teacher became angry when she arrived late and told her to leave the classroom. When she refused and returned to her desk, Hutchinson says he confronted her with a pen in her face.
“I slapped the pen away,” Hutchinson told KPRC 2’s Rilwan Balogun. “Then he picked it up, came back, and slapped me right here,” she said, pointing to her face.
Hutchinson said she then burst into tears and started screaming, loud enough that, according to her, an administrator passing by heard and came to check on her.
Her mother, Vasha Gaston, says she rushed to the campus after hearing what happened.
“I saw her, and I asked, ‘Who slapped you?’ She said the substitute’s name. “As soon as I saw her face, I was mad. I’m still mad,” Gaston said.
The district didn’t name the substitute teacher.
Balogun reached out to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office for details on charges, but they weren’t able to check with Balogun because he couldn’t provide them the educator’s name.
The family met with Aldine ISD Police the day after the incident.
Aldine ISD confirmed to KPRC 2 that criminal charges have been accepted against the substitute teacher.
According to a statement provided to KPRC 2, Aldine ISD took immediate action:
“Aldine ISD does not tolerate misconduct from our teachers or staff. As such, Lewis Middle School campus administrators took immediate action when an incident occurred between a substitute teacher and a Lewis Middle School student. The Aldine Police Department was contacted immediately, which began an investigation. The substitute teacher was removed from the campus and will not be permitted on Aldine ISD properties. Based on the Aldine PD investigation, the Harris County District Attorney’s Office accepted criminal charges against the substitute teacher. The district takes these situations seriously, as the safety of our students is always our top priority.”
The Department of Family and Protective Services has also confirmed it is aware of the complaint.
As for Kheristian’s mother, she says she wants to see more than just removal from the classroom.
“He needs to go to jail,” Gaston said. “I don’t want to see him work with another child, ever.”
