Special-ed teacher arrested after allegedly putting 5-year-old student in chokehold

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A New York City special education teacher has been arrested after allegedly putting a 5-year-old elementary school student in a chokehold.

Anthony Wicks, 46, was charged with second-degree assault and acting in a manner injurious to a child, WCBS-TV reported, adding that prosecutors said Wicks grabbed the student's neck with both hands and put him in a headlock.

'It was a very scary moment for him. … He said that ... his teacher's hands were tight around his neck, and that he said that he would be good and that he asked his teacher to let go.'

More from the station:

Wicks walked out of Manhattan Criminal Court silently with his husband Tuesday night, leaving on supervised release after his arraignment. The judge ordered Wicks not to have contact with the child, and when asked if he understood, Wicks replied to the judge, 'Yes, of course.'

This is Wicks' first arrest. He is a full-time special education teacher, and his attorney says Wicks has worked for the city's education department for five years and at a preschool for three years before that.

Police told WCBS the incident occurred Monday inside a classroom at P.S. 153 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Elementary School in Hamilton Heights. The child's older brother told the station the 5-year-old wouldn't go in the "time-out corner" as the head teacher instructed. Wicks is an assistant teacher, parents noted to WCBS.

"He was making a fuss about going in the time-out ... and then the teacher choked him," the brother told the station. "That teacher wasn't the one who was even talking to him. ... What other people have told me is that when he was getting choked, he was crying and then wouldn't calm down."

The child's father told WCBS the principal called around noon Monday to say the boy was fine but that the parents needed to come to school.

"It was a very scary moment for him," the child's father noted to the station. "He said that ... his teacher's hands were tight around his neck, and that he said that he would be good and that he asked his teacher to let go."

A Department of Education spokesperson told WCBS, "This alleged behavior is completely unacceptable, and this employee has been immediately removed from this site. Pending the outcome of the arrest and if convicted, we will pursue their termination. There is nothing more important than the safety and well-being of our students."

The station said it has not heard back from Wicks — who is awaiting arraignment on the charges — after an attempt to reach him by phone.

One parent of a student in the 5-year-old's class told WCBS she came to school Tuesday because she was upset the school never notified her about the incident.

"I had to find out through social media," she told the station. "That teacher is the teacher of my child, my 5-year-old child, and it's so upsetting because the school did not disclose anything. ... I went to go speak in there, and they couldn't give me any information. I want to withdraw him today."

- YouTube youtu.be

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Teacher fired over fidelity to her Christian beliefs just made a California district pay

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A California teacher was accused of misconduct and fired last year after refusing to comply with LGBT activists' radical gender dogma at the expense of her Christian faith.

Jessica Tapia previously taught gym, but last week she taught the Jurupa Unified School District that trampling Americans' free exercise of religion and freedom of speech can still prove costly even in a Democrat-dominated state.

Background

In recent years, the JUSD in Riverside County has fully embraced gender ideology, codifying it into its policies.

For instance, the district considers a refusal to address a student "by a name and the pronouns consistent with the student's gender identity" as harassment. Exclusion of a male from girls' bathrooms or from participating in girls' activities similarly qualifies as harassment.

Parents Defending Education highlighted that the JUSD also has a policy that keeps parents in the dark about their children's so-called gender identity.

'The directives required Ms. Tapia lie to parents about their children's gender identity.'

"A student's intersex, nonbinary, transgender or gender-nonconforming status is the student's private information," says the policy. "The district shall only disclose the information to others with the student's prior written consent, except when the disclosure is otherwise required by law or when the district has compelling evidence that disclosure is necessary to preserve the student's physical or mental well-being."

This is in keeping the California Department of Education, which maintains that "disclosing that a student is transgender without the student’s permission may violate California's antidiscrimination law."

When it comes to a JUSD student's effort to reject reality and masquerade as a member of the opposite sex, "the compliance officer may discuss with the student any need to disclose the student's intersex, nonbinary, transgender or gender-nonconformity status or gender identity or gender expression to the student's parents/guardians and/or others, including other students, teacher(s), or other adults on campus."

These policies, which serve to undermine parental rights, are par for the course in California, which has legally enabled transvestic males to invade girls' sports, programs, and restrooms since at least 2013.

Refusal to live by lies

According to her May 2023 complaint, Tapia had worked in the JUSD in various capacities since 2014. Despite apparently enjoying a great rapport with parents, students, and faculty members alike, she received a notice of unprofessional conduct on Sept. 30, 2022.

The suit claims Tapia was accused of "posting offensive content on her public Instagram account, referencing her faith during conversations with students, and expressing controversial opinions on issues pertaining to gender identity."

Tapia has made no secret of her religious views on marriage, transvestism, and sexual orientation, anchoring her understanding in a constitutionally protected biblical worldview.

'God created two sexes: male and female.'

In the wake of the misconduct notice, Tapia was reportedly presented with "A Plan of Assistance and Directives," which required her complicity in the district's advancement of gender ideology and undermining of parental rights.

"The directives required Ms. Tapia lie to parents about their children's gender identity, refer to students by their preferred pronouns, refrain from expressing her religious beliefs with students or on her social media, and allow students to use the bathroom or locker room that matched their preferred sex," said the complaint.

Unable to comply on the basis of her Christian beliefs and altogether unwilling to live by lies, Tapia requested accommodation from the district.

After all, she "believes that God defines human sexuality, and that men and women are created in the image of God," said the complaint. Additionally, she maintains that "God created two sexes: male and female."

She was refused accommodation and was subsequently canned.

Tapia indicated that after reaching out to Charlie Kirk, CEO of Turning Point USA, and Pastor Jack Hibbs, the Christian teacher connected with the pro bono law firm Advocates for Faith and Freedom, she then sued the JUSD.

Mariah Gondeiro, then-vice president and legal counsel for Advocates for Faith and Freedom, claimed that "Jessica Tapia was not dismissed for any wrongdoing, rather, she was dismissed for her Christian beliefs. This is a clear violation of our Constitutional rights."

'If the school district's actions were legal, no teacher of faith would be qualified to serve as a public school teacher.'

The lawsuit — which ultimately named the district, superintendent Trenton Hansen, and assistant superintendent Daniel Brooks as defendants — claimed Tapia had been deprive of both the free exercise of religion and the freedom of speech. Additionally, it accused the district of violating the Due Process Clause, Title VII, and California's Fair Employment and Housing Act.

Triumphant

While the JUSD refuses to admit wrongdoing, it approved an out-of-court settlement on May 13. The district will accordingly pay Tapia $285,000 as well as $75,000 for her attorneys' fees.

"Today's settlement serves as a reminder that religious freedom is protected, no matter your career," Julianne Fleischer, legal counsel for Advocates for Faith and Freedom, said in a statement. "If the school district's actions were legal, no teacher of faith would be qualified to serve as a public school teacher."

"Jessica's story is one of faithful courage. She fought back to ensure her school district was held accountable and that no other teacher has to succumb to this type of discrimination," added Fleischer.

'I want teachers to be confident in the fact that the best thing we can do for students is educate in truth, not deception.'

"What happened to me can happen to anybody, and I want the next teacher to know that it is worth it to take a stand for what is right," said Tapia. "Across the country, we are seeing teachers' freedom of speech and religious liberty violated through policies that require them to forsake their morals. I want teachers to be confident in the fact that the best thing we can do for students is educate in truth, not deception."

Per the terms of the settlement, both sides will refrain from badmouthing one another or taking further legal action. Additionally, Tapia agreed not to seek another job with the district.

Tapia appears to have found a calling besides helping the JUSD hide students' confusion from their parents. She has joined forces with Advocates for Faith and Freedom to launch "Teachers Don't Lie."

According to its website, Teacher's Don't Lie "is to support teachers of faith who are feeling the weight of the darkness that has infiltrated the education system. We believe teachers of faith have the right to be in the public education system without sacrificing their convictions and the truth."

The group serves to equip teachers with the constitutional understanding and legal backing to stand firm when their religious beliefs are targeted by radical school districts.

Jacquie Paul, a JUSD spokeswoman, suggested the settlement was a "compromise of a disputed claim," reported the Los Angeles Times.

"The decision to settle this case was made ... in the best interest of the students, such that the district can continue to dedicate all of its resources and efforts to educate and support its student population regardless of their protected class," said Paul.

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Police arrest teacher for allegedly 'touching,' 'making out' with 11-year-old student — just months before her wedding

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A Wisconsin teacher was arrested this week over allegations that she engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a 5th-grade student.

Police arrested 24-year-old Madison Bergmann, a teacher at River Crest Elementary in Hudson, Wisconsin, on Wednesday after receiving information "regarding inappropriate conduct between a current teacher and a 5th grade student," according to WCCO-TV.

That information came from the 11-year-old student's parents, who had discovered evidence of the inappropriate relationship from text messages between their son and Bergmann. Police said the text messages included details about the alleged relationship, which included "kissing, touching, and making out," according to KARE-TV.

The parents brought the evidence to school administrators on Wednesday, who immediately involved police.

Upon investigation, police discovered more evidence. WCCO reported:

Inside Bergmann's backpack, an officer reports they found a folder with the victim's name on it containing many handwritten notes. The victim later told police that he and Bergmann would write each other notes throughout the day. Many of the letters talk about the two kissing each other, court documents say.

In one of the letters, Bergmann allegedly wrote, "One of my cousins is in the 5th grade and I can't imagine a man talking to her how we talk. I know we have a special relationship and I do love you more than anyone in the world but I have to be the adult here and stop."

When police questioned Bergmann, she told them the student's mother had given her the 11-year-old's phone number when she accompanied them on a ski trip over winter break, KARE reported.

But when police asked Bergmann about the evidence, she invoked her right not to speak further.

"Learning about a school staff member and alleged inappropriate conduct that breaches trust is deeply troubling for all of us," school officials said in a statement. "We understand the gravity of this situation and are committed to providing the necessary support for any child who may be impacted."

Bergmann faces one count of first-degree child sexual assault. She was released from jail on $25,000 signature bond. She will be back in court later this month.

Per the conditions of her release, Bergmann has to wear a GPS-monitoring device, and she is barred from having contact with the victim or any other person under the age of 18.

A wedding website shows that Bergmann is engaged, and her wedding date was set for the end of July — less than three months from now.

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Teacher who knocked down HS student in fistfight — allegedly after student called him racial slur — released without bail

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A 27-year-old substitute teacher who was arrested Thursday after knocking down a high school student in a fistfight caught on video in Las Vegas — allegedly after the student called the teacher a racial slur — was released without bail.

What are the details?

Re’Kwon Smith was booked into the Clark County Detention Center after his arrest Thursday, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported, adding that Smith — shackled and in street clothes — appeared Friday afternoon in court in front of Hearing Master Daniel Westmeyer.

Image source: YouTube screenshot, composite

Westmeyer dropped Smith's $9,000 bail and released him because he has no criminal history and was not determined to be a flight risk, KLAS-TV reported.

The station added that Smith's release is contingent on him avoiding further arrests or citations, not returning to Valley High School, and having no contact with the involved student. Smith is due back in court May 27, KLAS said.

What's the background?

Initially KLAS said in its video report, citing sources, that the student used a racial slur against the teacher and that Thursday's fight allegedly started in a classroom when the teacher asked the student to leave after he used the N-word.

A clip of the fight in the KLAS video report shows the teacher knocking down the student after multiple punches:

— (@)

But that's not all that was caught on video.

A longer raw video of the fight shows the smaller student continually going after and swinging at the larger teacher, even though the teacher easily knocks the student to the floor not once but twice. Other students intervene, and the teacher walks away amid a throng of onlookers.

Another raw clip offers a close-up of the teacher knocking the student to the floor for the final time, hovering over him, hitting him in the head, and yelling, "Are you crazy?" After schoolmates bring the student to his feet, the teacher — whose shirt is torn open — hollers, "You lost your motherf**king mind, boy!" But the apparently dazed student hollers what sounds like, "You're goin' to jail, [N-word]!" at the teacher and actually laughs before a campus security monitor leads the student away.

Smith was charged with battery resulting in serious bodily harm, assault on a school pupil on school property/vehicle/activity, threatening to do bodily harm to a public school student, and interfering with a student from attending school, KLAS said.

The district hired Smith in November and assigned him to the high school, the station said, adding that police said the district will remove Smith from the substitute pool, and he's no longer eligible to serve as a substitute in the district.

While KLAS said the student also was arrested, KNTV-TV said its sources indicated the student is recovering in a hospital.

Another student told KNTV that the student in the video — a close friend — is "in the hospital right now, but he said he doesn't remember that good what happened ... he has a concussion, and he has scratches all over his face."

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How To Change What School Teaches Your Kid!

How To Change What School Teaches Your Kid!

3rd-grade teacher goes viral for teaching kids financial literacy by charging them 'rent' and issuing 'fines' — in classroom bucks — for misbehavior

3rd-grade teacher goes viral for teaching kids financial literacy by charging them 'rent' and issuing 'fines' — in classroom bucks — for misbehavior

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A third-grade teacher in North Carolina has garnered international attention for charging her students rental fees for their desks and chairs, while making the kids pay fines for bad behavior.

The classroom economy under teacher Shelby Lattimore is receiving praise for teaching kids financial literacy and by providing students with ways to earn a theoretical income for working classroom jobs.

Students can earn "Miss Lattimore Bucks" for different responsibilities around the school.

What started as a "motivator to get them to come to class and just build attendance" turned into children taking jobs such as line leader, door holder, and teacher's assistant.

"We have a cleanup crew of four students at the end of the day," Lattimore told WSOC-TV.

The children earn fictional incomes but also have to dish out their hard-earned money for expenses.

"Miss Lattimore is inflating your rent," the teacher told her students in front of local outlet WCNC. The announcement was met with groans and "oh, come on!" from students.

The teacher charges $7 per month in rent for desks and chairs and applies fines for bad behavior such as talking in class or late homework.

The kids are encouraged to think long-term with their earnings and can spend the money on a number of benefits.

@shelby_thatsmee

Introducing Ms.Lattimore Bucks (SN: I’ve always wanted money with my face on it) #money #teacher #rewards

Candy costs $2, while $3 buys students a homework pass. Lunch with a friend has a price tag of $5, and lunch with the teacher costs $7. The holy grail for students is allegedly a "be the teacher" pass, with which students become the teacher "from the beginning of the day to the end of the day."

The latter comes with a price tag of $30.

"I really see a lot of adults saying they wish they would have learned this before it’s actually real life and there are consequences in real life," Lattimore said.

One student called the program "a life lesson" in how money works, as local cameras captured looks of shock and horror on the children's faces as they were forced to give up their hard-earned cash for classroom expenses.

Lattimore also gave racial remarks to a local outlet, stating that a lot of her "students of color" have seen their parents "living check to check," which has caused them to "see the money management of not thinking long-term."

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'To not be straight is to be crooked': Seattle teacher accused of telling students identifying as 'straight' is offensive

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A Seattle high school teacher was accused of correcting a student for identifying as "straight" after pupils were given an assignment where they reflect on their sexual orientation, race, and more.

Ian Golash, a 10th-grade teacher at Chief Sealth High School, teaches ethnic studies and world history. A complaint was filed by a parent after a child in his class alleged that Golash told him that being "straight" was offensive and implied that it suggests gay people are "crooked."

As reported by the Post Millennial, students were given an assignment called the "Social Identity Wheel," which asked the kids to classify their race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, and more.

The worksheet described gender as how students "socially identify [themselves] on the spectrum from young woman to young man."
Examples given for sexual orientation included heterosexual, homosexual, "pansexual," and "asexual."

This prompted the boy's mother to email the teacher and Principal Ray Garcia-Morales in September 2023. The email was obtained by 770 KTTH.

"When filling out a Social Identity Wheel, [the boy] was told that if he identifies as straight that he needed to pick a term that was less offensive. It is completely inappropriate to dictate what terms a student can and cannot use to identify themselves with," the mother reportedly wrote.

In his response, Golash said that he didn't target the boy with his comments. However, his comments were to the classroom at large, explaining that he "stated explicitly that [he] was not going to tell them how they should identify except to explain the difference between race, ethnicity and nationality."

"I think language has power and that it shapes the culture that we live in. I did say to the class, in response to a student, that I do not use the term ‘straight’ because it implies that to not be straight is to be ‘crooked’ which could have a negative connotation," Golash claimed. "But, again stated that I am not interested in telling them how they should identify and that the wheel they are completing is for their own reflection, not for me to assess."

The same mother had previously accused Golash of failing her son on a quiz because he answered "true" to the statements "all men have penises" and "only women can get pregnant."

Seattle's public school system allegedly said at the time that the quiz was to promote inclusion and was in line with course material. The course syllabus reportedly described the class as an investigation of "the global economy, society, and culture."

Seattle teacher told students it\xe2\x80\x99s \xe2\x80\x98offensive\xe2\x80\x99 to identify as straight as it implies others are \xe2\x80\x98crooked\xe2\x80\x99 https://t.co/cgwjibSzoO
— (@)

Seattle Public Schools declined comment to the New York Post, citing that the district does not comment on pending litigation. The outlet also did not hear back from the school's principal.

The Post Millennial noted that Golash has a criminal record and is already under investigation regarding the aforementioned quiz, as well as an alleged anti-Semitic lesson plan.

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The Gadsden flag is racist?! Teacher gets BRUTAL 'Don't Tread on Me' lesson

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The Gadsden flag is known by most Americans as a symbol of colonial unity against British oppression.

However, it’s now considered “racist” by some, and a 12-year-old boy in Colorado Springs is standing up against that notion.

The boy, Jaiden, has a Gadsden flag patch on his backpack. His school apparently stated that he cannot wear the “Don’t Tread on Me” patch because officials have deemed it racist.

One teacher claimed that the flag’s origins were "with slavery."

Jaiden was then pulled from his classroom for refusing to take it off, before his mother came to the school to defend her son and educate school officials on what the flag actually symbolizes, which, of course, is not slavery.

“The only tie between the Gadsden flag and racism is that they happened concurrently,” Pat Gray tells “The News & Why It Matters” host Sara Gonzales and contributor Jaco Booyens.

“There was a Gadsden flag when there was slavery. That’s your deal? I mean, how are you tying that in, it had nothing to do with it,” he adds.

Gonzales is aware of the flag's actual origins as well.

“She clearly used the word origins. So, she’s saying it originated first because of slavery, which is completely inaccurate. It was of course the American Revolution, and I mean Ben Franklin, this was his brainchild,” she explains.

While it’s very clear that the flag is not racist but a symbol of the American Revolution, it seems to still be lost on the Colorado Springs school staff.

This is made obvious in a leaked email exchange between the school director, Jeff Yocum, and Jaiden’s mother.

“As discussed, I am providing you the rationale for determining the Gadsden Flag is considered an unacceptable symbol,” Yocum writes, before adding a link to a Washington Post article.

“It’s tied to the Confederate flag and other white supremacy groups, including Patriot groups,” Yocum continues, adding that it was “tied to hate groups” as well.

The mother wasn’t having it, responding, “Respectfully, everything can be considered racist and tied to white supremacy. It’s sad because when everything becomes racist, then nothing is. When we actually need to cry racism and oppression and it’s actually happening, no one will take it seriously.”

The mother then linked her articles that claim things like water and math are racist.

“To that mom I say fight, and then get your kid the heck out of that indoctrination camp,” Booyens says.


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On-duty Boston cop gets hurt barreling down massive slide, while his equipment flies: 'Oh f***'

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An on-duty Boston Police officer injured himself while taking a tumble down a giant metal slide at Boston's City Hall Plaza.

The new slide is a popular spot for kids, according to the Boston Globe, where children have to climb three levels of obstacles in order to get to the steep, metallic contraption.

This endeavor was not too difficult for a local Boston cop, however, but it did reveal that the slide is indeed dangerous for adults. Signs at the playground reportedly say that the slide is “not intended for adult use” and should only be used by kids ages 5-12, according to the New York Post.

In the video posted to Twitter and TikTok, loud banging is heard from inside the tube slide, later revealed to be the officer flying down the metal slide face-down. The officer makes contact with the bottom of the slide before skidding to a stop on the rubber playground surface below.

What appeared to be the cop's pepper spray, handcuffs, and radio fly off of his body, although the radio remained attached by its cord. He is then heard saying "Oh f***" while he gathers himself to his feet.

— (@)

A Boston Police spokesman confirmed the video as well as the reported minor injuries that followed from the incident.

"He was on duty, he used his own private insurance, and he didn't miss any time," the spokesman told TheBlaze.

Online reactions ranged from laughter to disappointment that the officer was partaking in stunts while on duty.

"Good to see them hard at work," said one viewer.

"What was he doing there?" asked another woman.

Former NHL player and podcaster Ryan Whitney reportedly had posted the video, but said he took it down after he was begged to remove it.

"I just deleted what I think is one of the funniest videos of all time. I was begged to take it down. Sad," Whitney wrote.

— (@)

Other adults have been injured trying to complete the feat of the children's slide. One woman posted a TikTok video of her coming out of the tube face-first as well, resulting in a head injury of her own.


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Students FIRE BACK after being called ‘homophobic’ by their teacher

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A New Mexico middle school has just become the latest battleground for the transgender bathroom debate, after a female student alleged she was raped in a bathroom.

The girl was a sixth-grader at Academy Charter School in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, at the time of the attack.

The male student allegedly entered the girls' restroom, attacked her, pinned her down, and forcibly raped her. Her mother did not hear about it until she saw it written in her daughter’s diary.

Sara Gonzales of "The News & Why It Matters" is infuriated.

“You’re called all sorts of names. You’re called a bigot, you’re called a transphobe, you’re called a homophobe if you say, ‘Hey, allowing biological males in women's, you know, anything could lead to disastrous consequences,’” Gonzales says.

Jaco Booyens agrees.

“You just nailed it. This is the greatest attack on women this nation has ever seen. The greatest attack on children. It’s the greatest attack on the womb,” Booyens says, adding, “It’s the greatest way Satan can attack the kingdom of God.”

Justice for the poor girl will hopefully be served, as the incident is actively under investigation.

However, parents — and students — across the globe, are already fighting to make sure this kind of tragedy doesn’t strike more than it already has.

In southeastern England, a school is under fire from parents and critics after one of its teachers called a student “homophobic” for refusing to accept a classmate as a cat.

The students recorded the conversation, fighting back by explaining that a man has a penis and a woman has a vagina.

“Gender is about how you identify. It is not an opinion,” the teacher is heard saying before the students react with “Yes it is!”

While Gonzales and Booyens see this as a ridiculous interaction, they’re both proud of the students for standing their ground.

Booyens says the kids schooled their teacher and took her to the cleaners.

“Are we not talking about a kid being a furry here?” Booyens asks.


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