The Houston teacher who was fired after being caught on video beating a student has now been sued over the incident, as well as arrested on unrelated charges. The video of the beating incident appears at the end of this article.
Science teacher Sherri Davis, 40, formerly a special education teacher at Jamie's House Charter School in Houston, was initially placed on administrative leave over allegations that she assaulted a 13-year-old student in the school. She was fired earlier this week after a cell phone video of the incident was released to the local media.
Although the school had videocameras in the room where the incident occurred, they said the security camera erases on the first of every month. The incident happened on April 29 and the student's mother called the school the next day, but apparently the school allowed the camera to erase the video anyway.
The lawsuit alleges assault by Ms. Davis, who hit and kicked the child for over a minute on the video. It also alleges that the school tried to cover up the incident, as well as negligence in allowing the assault to occur and to continue without interference from other teachers. There were several teachers and other adults in the room when the beating occurred, but none of them intervened. Some of the adults who were present can be seen in the room at the end of the video.
Jamie's House is an alternative school attended by at-risk middle and high school students. The 13-year-old, Isaiah Reagins (identified as Isaiah Johnson in some reports), was apparently teasing another student when Ms. Davis lost control and beat him. The student alleges that Ms. Davis told him, "You want to fight a girl? Fight me."
Although Ms. Davis has not been arrested over this incident at the time of this report, she has been arrested on an unrelated allegation of criminal mischief. Davis is accused of slashing a woman's tires with a knife in that case. She is reportedly under investigation over the school beating incident.
The law firm of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto & Friend filed the lawsuit against the school and Ms. Davis on behalf of the student and his mother, Alesha Johnson. They said they will donate their attorneys' fees to a children's charity.
Update to story: To see Ms. Davis and her attorney discussing the incident at a press conference, click here.
For more info:
Teacher-Beats-Student Video; Allegedly Lashed out After Student Teased Girl
US teacher sacked after being filmed beating her student
Lawsuit filed over student beating
Teacher beats student: Sherri Davis at Jamie’s House Charter School
Comments
well, I for one see this as normal hood behavior. You go girl !!!!! Teach that bully.
You can tell this boy had it coming. This teacher did what his mom should have done long ago. If his mom got to like this sooner in his life, than he would not been in this school in the first place. The teacher will pay for what she did, but it was needed. She just got caught on tape. I bet this boy will think before he pick on anybody else. Teacher!!! I feel for you, this boy drove you to it. I will say this, you just may have saved him from a life of crime. One day he will think you. Sad for his mom. Its her fault. She should be put on trail as well. I pray it come out how this mom and boy was in the home. Stay strong
Are you people serious? A teacher has no right no mattter what to beat this child like that. She should of sent his ass to the principle office and let them deal with it. Sickening that you think this teacher had the right to back this kid in a corner and beat him like that.
No of us can say whats right or wrong... But i tell you this It's not always the moms fault could be a lack of a real meal role modle.. As far as the teacher.. My hats off to her for holding out that long.. the school year is almost gone.. Teachers have it hard.. After spending a few days at my own childs school i see why she put her hands on that child.. Most of all the short comings of theses children in ours schools come from a lack of home training and no follow through on discipline at home... Theres no way this would have happen if this child would have had any respect for himself or others..
to ralph...it this is what his mother should be doing then left her do it. a teacher has no right to beat on a student like this teacher is doing. and the adults standing in the background watching are just as bad as the teacher doing the beating. what if this teacher had a kid in a school and the teacher went off on her child like she did? she'd want that teached reprimanded as well. and bill m...."normal hood behavior"? there is no such thing as "normal hood behavior". how would you feel if that was ur child? i'm glad this boy and his mother are fighting this and taking it to the media. discipling a child is one thing, but this is an outright beating that shouldn't have taken place.
Ms Aj maybe I should beat you for such a A stupid comment or maybe your mother should have beaten you more. No teacher has the right to BEAT a child, and you have no idea what kind of mother he has or if he has a medical condition the makes him misbehave. Either way if was my kid it would have been on and popping cause I would have lost my mind!! If you can handle teaching don’t become a teacher simple. There a difference between child abuse and discipline, and this is clearly abuse!!
bill m hood behavior is why the world is the way it is!! Get of the hood and learn some new behavior...its not normal for you to think this is ok!!
He had it comming. More power to you teacher!!!!!!!!!!!
There's always 3 sides to a story. The he said, she said, and then there's the truth. But for this particular incident it's four.
This is all media hype. It's obvious this teacher was not harming this kid. You can hear laughing the whole time. she doesn't even hit him with a striking blow. She mostly drags him around on the floor. When she does swing, it looks like a bad acting stunt. Let me talk to the kid to get the real truth. He was humiliated so he ran to mommy who is trying to make a dime without working for it!!!!!!
What the hell is wrong with some of you?!?!?! He was TEASING, not hitting, according to the report, and how dare you say he deserved a beating. A child NEVER deserves to be beat, by a teacher or a parent! How dare she lay a hand on that boy. No matter what he did, if he was assaulting someone you send him to the office and call the police. Now she gets to be charged. This is NOT the type of woman I want teaching my children, that's for sure.
The teacher may have gone overboard, but that doesn't mean the kid didn't deserve it. I do think teachers should have the right to discipline kids, and even administer corporal punishment. That should be reserved for extreme cases, but still should be available. As it is now, kids don't respect the teachers, and think they can do anything they want without consequences, especially when the parents always take the kids.
Let me ask this question, would we respect police officers, if we knew that no matter what we did, they couldn't draw their gun on us and arrest? Same thing is true in schools. The kids know that the best the teacher can do is send the kid to the principals office, and they'll get a detention, or suspension.
I think the teacher did go overboard on this. No teacher has the right to beat a child the way she did. But, I dont think that the teachers need to have the authority to be able to punish a child. Teachers go through a lot of stress because there is a lot of parents that dont teach there kids manners. There are a lot of parents that teach their kids to say bad words because they think a little kid saying bad words is actually funny. The problem here is that the kid was a bully and the teacher snapped for probably seeing this kid bullying a lot of other kids... Parents, do your jobs as a parent and most likely this will not happen. I am not with this or against it.
I agree with Richie S
I grew up going to charter schools and I for one know how we treated the teachers and students. I have a 15 year old brother and I tell you right now I wouldn't hesitate to tear him up if he even mentioned hitting a girl. Those who say students don't respect teachers because they know the worst they will get is expulsion are correct. Those who say he might have a medical condition to make him misbehave; that's just an excuse for bad behavior. Some parents cannot admit that their little angels are just bad kids, so they go to the doctors, who are working for pharmaceutical companies, to get drugs to fix them. Less drugs, more love. and before anyone says anything, yes I am a proud father of a 4 year old girl, and yes I spank her when the situation warrants it. it's not about inflicting pain, it's about snapping the kid out of an emotional state, so they can then listen to reason.
I grew up going to charter schools and I for one know how we treated the teachers and students. I have a 15 year old brother and I tell you right now I wouldn't hesitate to tear him up if he even mentioned hitting a girl. Those who say students don't respect teachers because they know the worst they will get is expulsion are correct. Those who say he might have a medical condition to make him misbehave; that's just an excuse for bad behavior. Some parents cannot admit that their little angels are just bad kids, so they go to the doctors, who are working for pharmaceutical companies, to get drugs to fix them. Less drugs, more love. and before anyone says anything, yes I am a proud father of a 4 year old girl, and yes I spank her when the situation warrants it. it's not about inflicting pain, it's about snapping the kid out of an emotional state, so they can then listen to reason.
FIRST OFF ALL OF YOUR COMMENTS ARE SO STUPID. YOU KNOW IF THAT WAS YALLS CHILD YALL WOULD BE UP THERE IN A SECOND. LET ME TAKE THAT BACK THE TEACHER COULD HAVE JUST LOOKED AT THEM WRONG AND YALL WOULD BE UP THERE AND THIS KID GOT BEAT AND HE TRIED TO GET AWAY AND SHE STILL CAME AFTER HIM. AND MY MOM IS A SPECIAL ED TEACHER AND I KNOW I USE TO HATE WHEN PEOPLE WOULD MAKE FUN OF THEM BUT THAT DOESNT GIVE THAT TEACHER OR ANY OTHER TEACHER THE RIGHT TO BEAT HIM. THAT CHILD WOULD HAVE GOT WHAT WAS COMING TO HIM FROM ANOTHER CHILD OR LATER IN LIFE, OR AT THE END OF HIS LIFE GOD WOULD HAVE TOOK CARE OF THAT. YOU CAN NOT TELL ME THAT WHEN YOU WERE A 13 YR OLD YOU NEVER MADE FUN OF SOMEONE YOU DID AND YOU NEVER ONCE THOUGHT YOUR TEACHER WOULD BE THE ONE TO FIGHT BACK. SO YALL NEED TO THANK ABOUT WHAT YALL ARE SAYING HE DIDNT DESERVE TO BE BEAT BY A 40 YR OLD WOMAN. THIS MAKES ME SICK TO THINK THAT MY CHILD WILL BE GOING TO SCHOOL IN JUST A YEAR AND NOT ONLY DO I HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT GUN MAN AND
i am disturbed by the way children act these days! the disrespect, the bullying....i say to the teacher It's about time someone whooped that boy's ass!!!! and to the person who said if that was my child i would be up there in a heart beat...your right:however, my children are taught respect!so i am certain that would NOT of been my child! i highly dout that boy was taught any respect or manners! kids should be punished , yet, no one bothers, they just complain about their "bad" kids. well i'm positive that little brat had it coming to him!! and to the little boy....i hope you learned your lesson!! someone should of beat your butt a long time ago...if they had you wouldn't be in alternative school.....hello everyone that's where the BAD kids go!!
...... CHILDREN BULLIES, AND NOW TEACHERS BEATING MY CHILDREN. WHAT HAS THE WORLD COME TO AND NOW WE HAVE YOU PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET SAYING THAT THE CHILD DESERVED IT ARE YOU KIDDING ME.
ALSO!!! that kid was NOT beat! i didn't see any bruises or blood!! like i tell my children...you better stand up when you get a spanking....it was his own fault for falling to the ground! i would of done the same thing!! thats why i am not a teacher!
Beat him down!!.. and all of you complaining the teacher had "no right" to do what she did, in my estimation you need a good beatdown too!!.. Bully Boy shake hands with your --- whippin!!
It's possible he did have it coming. It's also possible, in fact most probable, that this teacher A) will never be in a classroom again, and B) won't get the chance to anyway, because if there is any justice she'll be in prison for at least the next 5 years, just like you, me, or ANYONE else who perpetrates aggravated assault and battery on a minor.
If I beat up someone else's kid on video I would fully expect felony charges, prison time, and a multi-million dollar civil action against me. The fact that she isn't in jail right now shows how little we care anymore.
Heck, look at Illinois; A State trooper kills two teenagers on the road, pleads guilty to two counts of RECKLESS HOMICIDE and gets 30 months PROBATION.....how do the words "Homicide" and "Probation" even co-exist in the same sentence? Where is the line anymore.
best friggin' ass-whoopin' i've ever seen. looked like my household about 40 years ago. if my mother had seen a video of me being beaten by a teacher like that, she would have given it to me even harder when i got home because i misbehaved in class and brought the teacher to that.
then again, we were well-disciplined by our parents and well-behaved, so it was never necessary for a teacher to lay their hands on us. there's your difference.
Wow what have the parents of the world come to? You mean to tell me u dont have a problem with someone treating your child like that? If you dont then someone needs to beat your ass like that. i wish a teacher would put their hands on my child. I dont even treat my own children like that so I dare another adult to. If my child acts out at shool you best inform me and Ill decide the punishment and it will not be anything like that. Im proud of my kids that I dont get the phone calls from the school that some parents get their well behaved at school and Im thankful for that but if they werent Ill handle it not the teacher. I mean what was she thinking if we as parents hit our kids like that we go to jail what makes you think a teacher has the right. You get paid to put up with the bullshit if you cant handle it the right way find another job. Bet you wont do another adult like that. You ppl that agree with that are pityful!!
to ximena: back in the day I grow up, if I pushed a teacher to this point, after my beating from this teacher, I had another one coming when I got home. If my mom had to come and get me, it was on all the way home. This teacher did the right thing, but in our day, its wrong by some standards. I can see myself during the same thing. My kids never act this way. If they did, they know what is coming. That is what is wrong in our schools now, no discipline standards. If I was the judge in this case, I would praise this brave teacher. In my book, she is the hero!!!!
black people beat there kids thats why they act so violent towards each other , shooting and killing each other in the streets. the people that think this is good are stupid.
the hole thing is funny, an black woman teacher beating a black boy student ... an all the teacher did was stick up for the girl that was getting harased by the boy student ... yea maby she did go to far, but at the same time she did the right thing to . this one is worthy of posting of facebook, lot's of great LOL's to go around .
@ Bran, People of Color, yes we do beat our children (when necessary), but that is not why our children are violent. When you make such a statement, please make sure it is well thought out. Students in general take advantage of educators (teachers) because they know lawfully the educator cannot fight back. I am assuming you aren't a person of color, folks such as yourself are the reason why society is as crazy as it is today. This isn't a time to point the blame at the overworked teacher who teaches 30+ students a day and generalize it is the time to find out why this was her only option of discipline. I guess the next question I should ask you is why are all the caucasion teaches sleeping with their students. Which is worse?
WHITE PEOPLE ARE MONSTERS AND LEPERS. THEY RAPED, MURDERED, ROBBED ALL PEOPLE OF COLOR TO GET THEIR LAND. EVERYTHING WHITEY TOUCHES TURNS TO DESTRUCTION.
Richie you are a white idiot. If that was a white brat that black teacher would be hanging in a tree somewhere.
SHE LOOKS LIKE A DYKE. IF SHE IS SUCH A PROFESSIONAL WHY IS SHE WEARING JEANS OFF HER ASS LIKE SOME OF THE YOUNG GUYS DO.
I taught school for years and I had to report another teaching smacking a student in the face. Nothing was done about it. So thank God someone videotaped this, because she would have gotten away with it otherwise. So much abuse that the public don't know about happens to students, disabled people, and elderly people in nursing homes. We need to be aware of this and actively do something about this to stop the abusers.
to "A REAL BLACK WOMAN"
What does race have to do with this video and the teacher's conduct?
please explain your terribly racist statements, thats if you can.
I am appalled by many of the comments posted about this video. This is a violent adult assaulting a child. Period. It has nothing to do with race or how disturbed the child was. It is an unspeakable crime and the adult needs to go to jail! Shame on the other adults in the room that watched this and did nothing. Shame on some of you for thinking this is a joke or that the child deserved this or that it is a race thing. Shame on you.
wow that was crazy. i know this kid did wrong for picking on someone and talking crap bout hitting a girl. but he didnt deserve to get hit like that from a teacher thats wrong... i know if that was my kid that lady would have a real beat down coming from my wife.. alot of people are just so dang tired of boys thinking its ok to pick on girls. are any kid picking on someone who is disabled.. i bet you he wont be picking on anyone no more though. if she would have told the principal they would not have done jack to him. his mom probably wouldnt have either and the lady was just sick of it. and to whoever called her a dyke thats messed up to say and a very ugly word if she is she is so what dang. black are not who cares shut up about all this race crap its old and dumb already my god..
I think she rocks!!!! This kid is a huge problem asaulting other teachers, other kids and was in the process of bulling and threatening a special needs little girl on her first day. This kids mother has had nothing to do with him and now wants to cash in on what has happenend. She should be commended for not letting him get away with his behavior. If she was wrong another teacher should have stepped in and helped her calm down. she reacted as I would have if it were my child he was threatening. The mother of this kid should take responsibility for how her child behaves.
I didnt know she was a teacher considering she is dressed like a student....way to be professional....excuses excuses excuses....i say drug test her! I was a teacher and I know what it feels like to want to beat a kid up but that is a line that only in your wildest dreams would you cross...Teachers along with any other adult has to remember one thing..ITS NOT WORTH IT!
This also goes to show that there are thousands of teachers out there that have no business being a teacher..I hope they sue the crap outta the school cuz if it were my child...I would be celebrating becoming a millionaire! way to go idiot!
I gave an honest listening ear to the teacher this morning who was being interviewed on ABC. Truthfully, she was arrogant as all get out and was constantly looking to divert blame on the school system at large and the boy's mother. True, the mother is responsible for her son's behavior, but by God, she was in a place of authority to handle the situation like that. She actually beat the child like he was a grown man. It looked like she was possessed the way she was wailing on him. If it were me, I would have ended up in jail for the damage I would have done to her. I can't image how horrible it would have been for her if that were my child.
My opinion....just an opinion, is I think she was caught between a rock and a hard place. Damn if you do and damn if you don't..... They send students to Alternative School to get them out of the main stream for a reason and they do not deal with the issues. My oldest went to college for 4 yrs in Education...went to do her student teaching for HS. Went to her Advisor and told her she was changing majors....she admitted she would end up hitting a kid for the way they act in school now. Mine were not perfect, actually hot heads but they never got in trouble.....they were taught at a young age to get respect, you have to earn it. Most kids now have horrible attitudes that comes from the parents.
to "A REAL BLACK WOMAN"
What does race have to do with this video and the teacher's conduct?
Race has everything to do with it. I bet you "A Real Black Woman" wishes more than anything she was "A Real White Woman"!
Lock her up!
How is this about race? Point blank, a TEACHER who knows that they will be around students with bad attitudes and will say things that will make them mad, still decide to choose that career. And if you can't handle it, don't be a teacher. Don't go beating on children, I don't care what they did, she did more then spank him. I hope she gets in serious trouble and never is hired again.
I don't find any of this funny at all. First she's not professional at all like TRU says: Why is she wearing her jeans off her ass. That's not professional, I don't care if it's a regular or alternative school. Sorry, I'm from the ol' school. You don't put your hands on any child. She should've sent the student to the office and let them deal with the situation.
It's 2010 people we must go with the change. The student and teacher were both in the wrong. I'm glad she stood up for the other child but her approach was not the best choice. I have worked with special needs kids for years and at Alternative schools.When you take on a job like that you must be ready for the stress that comes with it. It's not easy and someone must do it but training is a must. How to be proactive instead of reactive in stressful situations is easier said than done.We should be supportive of everyone if you look at the whole picture.This could be you one day. You never know when a situation may occur and cause you to SNAP.Good people make bad choices under pressure and kids not just special poputlation also make bad choices. Let's not judge let's offer help to keep situations like this from occurring.
for one race has nothing to do with it they are both BLACK hello!!! In my own opinion no she should never put her hands on a student, but my mom and grandma were teachers and i know what they went threw and me i was a real bad ass you could say because i knew they could never touch me so idk what to say about the matter. I hope they look everything over before they decide.
It's like, in The Godfather, they said. Let them kill themselves, their all Animals anyway. :-)
Its funny how everytime something happens with a black person its come out to be "racis"
Racis has nothing to do with it people, its about how a child got beat by a teacher. She should of had self control. Yes she was mad he was making fun of a special needs student but it does not mean she has the right to beat a student. She didnt even look like teacher she was dessing like a dyke gangster... It just shows u that they just let any animal become a teacher.. she has no one to blame but herself!! IDIOT!
I think it is sick, how people get on here and write nonsense. First off, half of you do not know how to spell and have the nerve to criticize other's. Then you all are going into RACE!! Un Be Leave Us!! This situation is about a teacher beating an unruly child. It has nothing to do with race, and teaching is a hard job these day's, because the children are very disrespectful and feel they know everything, when they indeed know nothing. She did nothing wrong, because his folks should have done it a long time ago.
my child was verbally abused by a white teacher and the school diamond oaks is trying to brush it under the rug and say oh she has a attitude but admits the teachers actions were out of order she was also threating with her body language and when confronted by me the concerned parent the shouted what do you want from me? you JOB thats what Mad as Hell black mama
lock her ass up and throw away the key i sub taught the first five weeks of the year there is no excuse
I would like for everyone to try to walk in the teacher's shoes. She might have lost control for a minute but so what. The bully was out of line. What happened to teachers being able to teach. I'm a baby boomer and if I got a whipping at school, I got a belt at home. It didn't take me long to act right. Give the teacher's back the control they need to discipline and educate. Isaiah needed a good whipping a long time ago!!!!!! Hire her back!!!
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