Teacher Suspended for Lassoing Student During Lesson
A teacher in North Texas has been suspended after allegedly lassoing his 13-year-old student during a history lesson on Monday. The teacher could now face criminal charges of injuring a child after the demonstration left the seventh grade boy with rope burns around his neck.
Authorities, and the school, have not released the name of the teacher at Schrade Middle School due to an ongoing investigation. The incident allegedly took place during a history class lesson on cowboys and cattle drives. The teacher had a lasso in his classroom and wanted to demonstrate how it worked.
"[The teacher] was visiting with the students, telling the students about how cowboys would corral maverick steers back into the herd," School District spokesman Chris Moore told KHOU News.
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He then asked for a volunteer and, when a 13-year-old boy agreed to participate, the teacher threw the lasso around his neck.
"This is not something that we feel was malicious; it not intent… extremely unfortunate and extremely poor judgment," Moore added. The teacher was suspended and the 13-year-old left with bruises and rope burn around his neck.
The local police department is considering bringing charges of criminal injury to a child against the teacher, but so far nothing has been decided. Meanwhile, the parents of the teen have expressed their shock at their son's injuries.
The public seems to be divided about the incident, with many pointing out that the student volunteered to be roped, while others stated that the teacher showed a clear lack of judgment.
"We're all for school farms and agricultural studies but… Texas teachers lassoes 13-yr-old pupil by the neck in lesson," tweeted The Good Schools Guide.
"Didn't the kid VOLUNTEER to be lassoed?" Kristin Douglas Wood asked on KHOU.com.
"Next time don't volunteer for a 'roping lesson'" added Susan Kaplan Williams.
"Seems like they're saying it wasn't malicious. Have the teacher, apologize, promise not to do it again, and carry on. Parents will probably seek huge settlement. Sad," noted Christopher Shaw.
