HOUSTON – A student at a Houston Independent School District elementary school said a teacher slapped him repeatedly in the head.
Andre Muhammad's parents said the 6-year-old came home from Milne Elementary School complaining he had been hit by a teacher.
Andre said he was standing up, waiting for his school bus at the front of the school, when the teacher told him to sit down. Andre admitted he talked back and refused to sit down. He said that is when the teacher hit him repeatedly in the head.
"He started slapping me until I sat down," said Andre. "My head was hurting."
Andre's parents said they drove to the school and spoke to the teacher. Andre's mother, Andrea Mayo, said the teacher admitted to her that he hit her son.
"Why is anybody putting their hands on my child?" asked Mayo.
Andre's parents said they next went to the principal's office to complain about the teacher's actions. The parents said they felt like the principal was not taking the situation seriously, so they called Houston Independent School District police.
"HISD PD said that they didn't have anybody available to come out. They said they'll talk to us [the next day] in the morning," said Andre's father, Amir Muhammad.
The parents then called Houston city police. An officer came out and took an assault incident report. Medics also examined Andre. Andre's parents said HISD police eventually also came out to the school and took an incident report.
Local 2 contacted HISD and a spokesperson said an employee at the school had been placed on paid administrative leave while they investigate the incident.
The spokesperson would not provide more information about the employee's role at the school.
"I don't feel like my kid should feel like he is in harm's way at all when he comes to school. If a teacher puts his hands on a kid, he should be prosecuted. I don't think he should have a job around kids no more period," said Amir Muhammad.