Student arrested for allegedly assaulting teacher at Clayton Co. school

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. - A Clayton County School student was arrested and charged with simple battery Tuesday for allegedly assaulting a teacher at Mt. Zion High School in Jonesboro.

“She's just a sweet little old lady,” said Anna Rodriguez, the victim's daughter.

“She's terrified now about talking about what happened, she is terrified about speaking the truth about what happened, she's afraid she is going to lose her job,” Rodriguez said.

According to Rodriguez her mom, a veteran teacher who has been employed with the Clayton County School District for more than 20 years, was escorting her class down a hallway Tuesday afternoon when she saw the unidentified 17-year-old male student acting inappropriately with a female student. Rodriguez said her mother confronted the boy.

“My mother is a teacher she had to stop it. She went over there and told them to stop it. The student, this male student, jumped up and started screaming at her, swearing at her and bucking up on her. She put her arms up to try to brace herself,” said Rodriguez.

Rodriguez said her mom told her the teen grabbed her, violently twisting her body and that another student had to pull him off of her.

Clayton County School Police are handling the case. The school district officers arrested the teen and transported him to the Clayton County Jail.

Rodriguez was outraged to learn the student was charged with misdemeanor simple battery, and believes the school district is trying to downplay what happened.

“I’m not all full of blood lust for this student, but the way the school is trying to, the way that school police and the school system is trying to lessen it and diminish it is disgusting,” said Rodriguez.

A school district spokesman confirmed they are investigating the incident, but said they couldn't comment on the case.