Greenville ISD teacher resigns over photo showing her foot on Black student’s neck
GREENVILLE, Texas - Greenville ISD has accepted the resignation of the teacher who took a picture of her foot on the neck of a student.
The mother of the boy in the photo said in a Facebook post that she did not want the teacher to be fired.
The boy’s teacher texted it to his mother this week, the same day Derek Chauvin was convicted for George Floyd’s death.
The school district in Hunt County confirmed the picture was taken Tuesday. The district called it "staged," but it suspended the teacher while it investigated.
A 10-year-old Black student at Lamar Elementary School in Greenville was seen in a picture with a foot on his neck.
Lakadren Moore is the boy’s aunt. She said her nephew told them the teacher called him out for acting out in class. The family says the teacher told the boy if he didn’t get his work done she would put her foot on his neck.
According to the family, the boy and other students said she would not and he got on the ground, and that’s when the picture was taken.
PREVIOUS STORY: Greenville ISD teacher suspended for photo showing her foot on Black student’s neck
Greenville ISD Superintendent Dr. Demetrus Liggins said their investigation ended Friday.
The recommendation was for a special called meeting next week to decide whether or not to fire the teacher.
Instead, the teacher submitted her resignation through her attorney.
"There is a line that you just don’t cross with children or families," the superintendent said. "It’s a matter of dignity that should be in place with all of our students, and I personally think that line had been crossed."
Liggins said the district encourages teachers to build relationships, but believes this incident was different.
"I personally don’t believe there was any malicious intent or racial issue there. It was just poor, poor judgement and an extremely inappropriate thing to do," Dr. Liggins said.
In a statement, Dr. Liggins said the district will report this to the State Board for Educator Certification, and "they will determine what action might be taken concerning her teaching certificate."