More than a year after a student captured a video of a Richland Two teacher physically fighting a student, the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) State Board suspended the teacher’s educator certificate.
Recently, the state board ruled to suspend Karon Mack Wilson, Jr. from teaching in South Carolina for the next two years.
Wilson was charged with third-degree assault and breach of peace in the May 28, 2019 incident at Ridgeview High School in Columbia, South Carolina, WIS TV reported. He turned himself in.
The 15-year-old in the fight was also charged at the time.
Here is a clip of the fight.
In the video, Wilson is shown punching the student several times in the head.
State board officials reviewed the video of the fight, as well as evidence that showed “a situation that began as playful, but escalated into a physical fight,” the SCDE ruling said.
Ultimately, the SCDE hearing officer found that Wilson’s conduct violated state code and was contrary to district policy.
“At no time during the physical confrontation did Mr. Wilson contact administration for assistance, ask a student to get an administrator, or de-escalate the situation, as was required by district policy,” the ruling said.
The hearing officer in the case found that Mr. Wilson’s conduct “endangered not only the student involved, but all students present in the classroom.”
According to a statement from state representative Seth Rose, Wilson’s attorney in the case, the incident began when a 15-year-old entered Wilson’s classroom after lunch when he wasn’t supposed to be in there. The 15-year-old allegedly pushed him first, and started swinging.
Wilson told media at the time that he was simply defending himself and he didn’t feel like he did anything wrong.
“No public school teacher should be put in the position that when they are being threatened or attacked, that they can’t defend their safety or their students,” Rose said.
Wilson was placed on leave after the incident, according to WLTX.
Wilson’s charges were eventually expunged after he completed a diversion program, WIS reported.
“I pray no other has to go through this,” Wilson said in a previous statement. “It’s hard enough being a teacher. We have to deal with a lot… We can leave the profession which is what is happening, not only in South Carolina, but across the nation in numbers. We’re leaving in masses.”
If Wilson wants to teach again in South Carolina, he will have to make a written request to SCDE and resubmit an application. His order of suspension must be reported to the NASDTEC Clearinghouse and all South Carolina school districts, the report said.
Wilson was one of two Richland Two teachers who were disciplined by the state board last month.
DeAnta T. Reese, a former Richland Two teacher at Westwood High, who was accused of inappropriately communicating with a student in 2018, was issued a public reprimand by the state board.
“On May 17, 2018, the District placed Mr. Reese on administrative leave while they investigated an alleged incident of inappropriate communications with a student,” the ruling said. “The incident was never fully resolved at the District level.However, the District was concerned
with the number of similar reports concerning alleged inappropriate comments dating back to 2014.”
Reese admitted to some of the comments, but accused the students of misinterpreting some of the things he said, according to the SCDE ruling.
He resigned from Richland Two on June 8, 2018.
As a part of his agreement with the state board, Reese agreed to take the NASDTEC prevention/ correction course within six months.
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