School staff members fired after being caught on camera fighting in classroom

A teacher and a paraprofessional who were caught on camera fighting in front of students at Stone Mountain Middle School on Friday have been fired.

Video shows at least two students trying to break up the fight, but it didn’t work. Another staff member had to intervene to stop the two adults from punching each other.

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“I mean that’s not a good example in front of kids. That was just bad,” parent Valerie Stewart said. “We send our kids to school to learn, for an education, not to sit there and witness a fight between two adults.”

School officials are investigating why the fight broke out.

“I really couldn’t believe it. Like I thought it was kids fighting and then found out it was teachers. It was just bad,” student Madison Hall said.

The school sent a letter home to parents Monday telling them that two staff members were “engaged in a physical altercation that caused a major disturbance in a classroom.” The letter assured parents that both adults will face appropriate discipline.

School officials declined an on-camera interview while the investigation is open, but sent a statement that said, “The interaction and conduct in the video is completely unacceptable and contrary to our district’s tenets and core principles. Those staff members that participated in the conduct have been removed from the learning environment.”

On Tuesday, the staff members were still employed by the school district but removed from the classroom because the school is a public entity, and by law, employees can keep their jobs pending the outcome of an investigation.

By Wednesday, the teacher and paraprofessional had been fired.

School officials said both staff members have been arrested and charged with disorderly conduct in a public place.

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