Whitley Middle School student charged with assaulting teacher

A Whitley County Middle School student is facing an assault charge after allegedly pushing a teacher last week.
Whitley County Superintendent Lonnie Anderson noted in a press release that the incident happened at the middle school in the afternoon of Nov. 30.
“As a teacher was attempting to correct a student in the hallway for a violation of school rules, the teacher was pushed by the student causing the teacher to fall down,” Anderson noted in the press release. “Other teachers assisted in subduing the student, who was remanded to the custody of a school resource officer and the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department.”
Sheriff’s deputies have issued a uniform citation charging the student involved in the altercation with third-degree assault, Anderson said in the press release.
The teacher, who was knocked down, wasn’t injured.
Anderson said because the case involves a juvenile and is pending, he can’t say whether the juvenile was a male or female, the age of the student, or what the violation of school rules was that led to the incident.
There has been no expulsion hearing regarding the student so far.
“The student has been suspended until the matter comes before the court,” Anderson noted, but said he is unsure when a judge will hear the case.
If found guilty in juvenile court, the student could be looking at a variety of possible punishments ranging from incarceration in a juvenile detention facility to paying restitution for any damage that might have occurred during the altercation.
If drugs were determined to have been involved, which school officials have given no indication of at this point, then the juvenile could also be sentenced to juvenile drug court.