A Central Florida substitute teacher was arrested for battery following an altercation with a student.
According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, a substitute teacher at Webb Middle School in Tampa, 26-year-old Benjamin Barnes, got into a verbal altercation with a 14-year-old male student.
During the argument, Barnes used racially charged language, attempted to instigate a fight, and grabbed the student’s cell phone out of his hands. The student fled the classroom and reported the altercation to a school resource deputy.
Local law enforcement said Barnes was arrested and charged with Battery.
“What happened today is a betrayal of everything an educator is supposed to represent,” said Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister. “Our teachers are supposed to create a safe space for learning and respect, not fear and intimidation. This behavior is completely unacceptable, and this teacher will face the consequences of their actions.”
Barnes is a substitute teacher with Kelly Services and is not an employee of Hillsborough County Public Schools.
This is an active investigation, according to local law enforcement.
