Teacher sacked for insulting, spitting at female student

A teacher has lost his job one year after he verbally insulted and spat at a female student at the School of Education and Training, Paterson, NJ, United States, after a classroom argument.

Lat Sall, who taught French at the school, had a verbal argument with the student during class, in May 2014.

According to the state arbitrator, Tia Schneider Denenberg, after the student walked out of the class, Sall abandoned the other students, followed her and continued hurling insults.

"'you're dirty and stink, go home and take a shower' or words to that effect," he allegedly told her.

He then spat at the student in the presence of another student.

Denenberg said the school district's decision to remove Sall was based on that unbecoming conduct.

"This conduct by Mr. Sall constitutes unbecoming conduct and/or other just cause for dismissal," she said.

But Sall denied the allegations against him in a written statement.

He said the student came late and he had stopped her at the door because he had to fill out a disciplinary referral form.

He said he told her to wait for the security guard who would escort her to the administrator in charge of discipline but she tried to force her way into the class instead and even insulted him.

"(She) started to yell and curse at me, calling me names, insulting both my mother and father," Sall said.

"She refused to go with the guard, continued cursing in front of the security guard and walked out.

“Then, the officer returned to his post after the departure of the student.”

He said the shouting incident which led to the alleged spitting happened after she returned and tore the form he was filled.

“(She) came back to my class five minutes later.

“While I was standing at the door, she snatched the disciplinary referral from me, tore it in two pieces, and continued cursing at me in the hallway.

"She accused me of spitting at her while I was talking and said she was going to get me fired.”

"It is also important to mention that (she) had previously displayed the same type of behavior and was written up twice by me.

“I also followed up with two separate phone calls to her mother who apologized for her daughter's behaviors and said she would talk to her."

Despite Sall’s position, Denenberg said she found the students' accounts credible, adding that video evidence supported the spitting allegation.

"However, the teacher is seen bending over the rail with his face down and his shoulders hunched — a position at least consistent with spitting at the female student as she descended the stairs,” the arbitrator said.

Sall was also initially charged with a pattern of aggressive behavior against students and staff and other charges which were later dropped.

Teacher sacked for insulting, spitting at female student

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