DANIA BEACH, Fla. – Video captured a startling incident Wednesday at a Broward County middle school that has a mother outraged.
That woman’s 13-year-old daughter was violently pushed by a man working as part of the staff at Olsen Middle School in Dania Beach.
The young girl ended up on the floor as other people appeared to try and intervene.
Shardea Thomas is that teenage girl’s mother.
She told Local 10 News it was a friend of her daughter who actually notified her about the physical confrontation and not the school.
“My heart just sunk watching that, seeing because she’s defenseless,” Thomas said. “It’s just a lot of emotions. Of course, there’s anger, and it’s just a lot of questions.”
The family says the man who crossed the line is the school’s assistant principal.
The incident played out Wednesday in the school cafeteria.
Two 13-year-old girls were involved in a heated dispute, but the district says when that staff member tried to de-escalate the fight, the controversial contact happened.
The girl’s mom says she’s scarred emotionally and physically.
“She’s frazzled. We’re just trying to remind her that she’s loved,” Thomas said.
The Broward Public School District has gotten involved, and in a statement, a spokesperson told Local 10 News:
“Olsen Middle School and the District take all matters involving student safety seriously. A staff member, who attempted to deescalate a physical confrontation between two students in the cafeteria today, Wednesday, March 9, is being investigated by school and District administration, as well as the District’s Special Investigative Unit, for the actions taken. The employee is being reassigned away from the school and students to an administrative location pending the outcome of this investigation.”