Kindergarten teacher: “I was furious” - 13abc.com Toledo (OH) News, Weather and Sports

Kindergarten teacher: “I was furious” - 13abc.com Toledo (OH) News, Weather and Sports



We have new details in the case of the kindergarten teacher in Hancock County who was caught on surveillance video in a shocking confrontation with her six-year-old student.

It happened at Riverdale Elementary School in Mount Blanchard which is south of Findlay.

On Thursday 13abc obtained school district documents which show the kindergarten teacher Barb Williams admits she was furious, she pushed him, and says the boy was pushing her over the edge.

It’s the school surveillance video making national headlines.

"Why isn't this teacher behind bars?" asked Nancy Grace on HLN Wednesday night.

The video shows Ian Nelson and his teacher Barb Williams on Wednesday, May 7th.  

Ian walked down the hallway during computer class to go to the bathroom.  Williams stopped him as he walked out, lifting him off the floor against the wall.

In the documents, Williams told Riverdale Elementary School principal Julie Spade, "Ian Nelson has been going to the bathroom and not going, walking in and walking out. He thinks it's funny and then he has an accident and wets his pants."

According to the file, Williams admits she yelled at Ian.

"I was furious. I was very hard on him,” said Williams, according to the principal’s report.  "I touched him on the middle of the chest and pushed him back. I was very heated."

"I feel like I was over the top/edge,” said Williams. “He's pushing me over the top/edge and my kids over the top/edge. I'm sorry. I don't know what to do with it."

In a letter alerting Williams she’s been suspended for ten days without pay, Riverdale Local Schools Superintendent Eric Hoffman writes, "Your responsibilities as a professional educator do not include yelling 'I am sick of you', 'I am sick of your parents' and 'I will rip you apart' to a kindergarten student."

On Wednesday Hoffman explained Williams has been with the district for 14 years, had “great evaluations,” and parents ask for their kids to be in her class.

"These things shouldn't happen at our school. That's why we had to take the disciplinary action,” says Hoffman.

"Well, of course it shouldn't happen, but a teacher shouldn't be suspended for ten days when you have incontrovertible evidence of an assault in the hallway,” says Dan Margolis, the attorney hired by the Nelson family. “The school's response to this point has not been adequate."

Margolis says the Nelsons are waiting for the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office and Children Services to complete their investigations.

We’ve reached out to Williams but have not heard back.

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