A Connecticut teacher was arrested after allegedly pulling the hair of a 12-year-old student inside a classroom.
According to WTNH News 8, Jennifer Wells-Jackson, 49, was charged with risk of injury to a minor and second-degree breach of peace following the incident at the King/Robinson Interdistrict Magnet School in New Haven., Connecticut.
Footage of the incident shows Wells-Jackson pulling the student Destinique James's hair while other students are heard calling for the teacher to stop. She then releases her grip, and the child backs away.
#CAUGHTONCAMERA – @wtnh obtained video showing a teacher at King Robinson Magnet School grabbing a 12-year-old student's hair
The student's mom tells me "there's no justification for putting your hands on someone's child"#NewHaven
pic.twitter.com/mCF1Ws5fQc— Lauren Linder (@lauren_linder) February 3, 2022
Destinie James, Destinique's mother, tells News 8 that there is no reason for teachers to put their hands on a student.
"There's certain things you say, and there's certain things you don't say, there's certain things you do and certain things you're not supposed to do, especially when dealing with people's children," Destinie said. "At the end of the day, there's no justification for putting your hands on someone's child."
.@NewHavenPolice say they arrested 49-year-old Jennifer Wells-Jackson, a teacher at King Robinson Magnet School, for risk of injuring a minor and breach of peace. She was caught on camera grabbing a 12-year-old student by her hair Tuesday afternoon. @WTNH
pic.twitter.com/FbSeorzWz9— Lauren Linder (@lauren_linder) February 3, 2022
On Tuesday, Justin Harmon, director of marketing and communications for New Haven Public Schools, told the news outlet that the district takes student safety very seriously, adding that the school and district fully cooperate with the police investigation.
Wells-Jackson was released on a $20,000 bond and appeared in court Monday. She is the fourth teacher in New Haven arrested for allegedly assaulting a student.
