Hall monitor accused of choking student

HOUSTON – A school district employee was fired after, authorities said, he choked a 14-year-old student during a lunch hour.

The 57-year-old hall monitor was fired from Blocker Middle School in Texas City after witnesses said he put both his hands around a student's neck and began choking him on Oct. 4.

It started when the hall monitor was horsing around with a student during lunch and another student stepped in because, according to authorities, he felt things were getting a little out of control and too rough.  The hall monitor reacted by choking the student, witnesses said.

"They were talking (expletive)about each other... then it really started getting physical," said Alejandro Luna, a seventh-grader at Blocker Middle School who saw itall go down.

The altercation was so violent that the 14-year-old's shirt was ripped and, according to police, he had cuts and bruising to his neck.

The hall monitor, who had been with the district since 2005,was fired that night, officials said.  Charges have not been filed as of Oct. 12.