A Michigan high school student is now facing felony charges after throwing a metal chair at her teacher's head and causing her to go unconscious, according to the Genesee County Prosecutor's Office.
The 15-year-old high school junior at Southwestern Classical Academy was charged with two counts of felony assault for throwing the chair at the teacher and hurting her.
Footage from the incident shared online showed two students yelling at each other in a heated confrontation while the teacher tried to alleviate the situation. Once the teacher turned her back, the student threw a desk chair in her direction, striking her in the head.
The teacher fell to the ground and stayed there for approximately seven seconds, and Flint Police Chief Terence Green told ABC 12 the school's resource officer stepped in to stop the fight and found her with head injuries.
The teacher was taken to the hospital and is recovering, according to a statement from District Superintendent Kevelin Jones. Both students were arrested, while the teacher has since been released and expects to return to teaching very soon.
Superintendent Jones stated the student who struck the teacher will be held accountable for actions under state law and the school district's code of conduct.
"We are committed to ensuring that our schools are safe and conducive to learning for all scholars, and we take this responsibility very seriously," Jones wrote in a statement.
The video of the incident drew outrage from officials who have criticized Michigan schools and are looking for change within the system.
"This video perfectly captures the sad state of Education in Michigan – no sense of order or direction, no respect for teachers, and worst of all, NO LEARNING," Former Detroit Police Chief James Craig tweeted. "Failure to educate young Michiganders is a recipe for increased CRIME, upticks in UNEMPLOYMENT, and SOCIETAL DISORDER. Michiganders deserve better."
