Photo: Hay’s County Sheriff’s Office
A Texas substitute teacher has been arrested after she was allegedly caught on video assaulting a high school sophomore.
Tiffani Shadell Lankford, 32, was charged on Friday with one count of felony aggravated assault after the video was posted online, authorities say. The alleged incident occurred at Lehman High School in Kyle, Texas, about 20 miles south of Austin.
According to theNew York Times, the alleged assault happened at 3:45 p.m. local time during a Spanish class. Tim Savoy, a school district spokesman, told theTimesthat Lankford had filled in 18 times as a guest teacher since joining the district at the end of August.
“There is absolutely no excuse or circumstance that can justify what you see unfold on the video,” Savoy tellsNBC News. “It is unconscionable what this adult did to one of our students.”
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Karen Zuniga, the school’s principal,posted an open letter on Facebookon Friday. “We take the safety and security of our students seriously,” she wrote. “We took swift action when this incident occurred and will do everything necessary to protect our students.”
Lankford has been fired from the school district. Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a statement condemning the alleged attack.
“Conduct like this won’t be tolerated in Texas classrooms,” the governor said in a statement, according to theHuffington Post. “The substitute teacher who committed this heinous act has been arrested and will face serious legal consequences.”
Lankford was booked into the Hays County Jail. Bond has not yet been set. Court records do not reflect an attorney authorized to speak on her behalf.
source: people.com
