DENVER - A teacher at KIPP Montbello College Prep in Denver was fired Thursday after an incident of physical misconduct involving a student according to the school's executive director.
Denver Police say they’re investigating but no charges have been filed. 9NEWS is not naming the teacher until and if that happens.
The victim's mother reached out to 9NEWS and shared several pictures of her 12-year-old son. They show bruises on his arms and face. She claims the injuries were caused by the teacher.
Krischelle Roman-Taylor tells 9NEWS her son Daniel Tommy-Joe Martinez has been diagnosed with ADHD and has socio-emotional needs. He was in the affective needs class at KIPP Montbello Colle Prep in Denver, in the middle school. She says the teacher was a behavior specialist.
“I’ve voiced my issue of safety with this child at the school throughout the year and I haven’t been heard,” Roman-Taylor said. “I want to find a way to help other moms who are going through this, just because we’re poor or just because we’re sick doesn’t mean that our kids don’t need a chance. Our kids deserve to be heard, whether they act out, whether they cuss, which is what the teacher said was the problem. He said my son cussed so he restrained him, absolutely everything he said was wrong, it was a lie.”
Roman-Taylor said her son does act out and is easily triggered. But he doesn’t hurt people. She’s given permission to the school to have a police officer restrain Daniel.
“I don’t even want to send my kids to school,” Roman-Taylor said. “I haven’t wanted to send him to school all year because of this situation, because of where I live, because of my situation, my health, because I have no money, I couldn’t get any help and nobody would listen to me.”
In a statement, Kimberlee Sia, Executive Director for KIPP Colorado Schools, says the teacher was put on leave as soon as they were made aware of the incident. The student's parents and authorities were also notified.
Sia says after an investigation it was determined that the teacher violated the school's policies and was immediately dismissed.
The statement goes on to say that they're working with the student and his parents to ensure the student is supported.
The full statement:
“This morning, there was an incident of physical misconduct involving a teacher and a student at KIPP Montbello College Prep. Upon learning about the incident, we immediately put the teacher on leave, contacted the student’s parents, and notified the authorities. Upon investigation, we concluded that the teacher acted in violation of our school’s policies. The teacher has been dismissed, effective immediately. At KIPP, we prioritize student safety and respond quickly to any allegations of misconduct. We have been working closely with the student’s family, and will continue to work with them to ensure the student receives the support needed.”
