A veteran Florida middle school teacher was arrested after allegedly pulling a seventh-grade student from his desk by the arm and dragging him into a hallway, authorities said. The incident was reportedly captured on school surveillance video.
Fada Concepcion, 52, a seventh-grade science teacher at Tuskawilla Middle School in Seminole County, was arrested Thursday on suspicion of child abuse without great bodily harm. The arrest stemmed from an incident reported on September 29.
According to investigators, the confrontation occurred during third period. Concepcion allegedly seized the student by the arm and pulled or dragged him approximately 20 feet from the classroom into an exterior hallway.
The student later told school officials about the encounter. Officials reviewed surveillance footage and notified law enforcement, according to reports citing the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office investigation.
When questioned by deputies, Concepcion disputed the account. She said she had “no recollection” of dragging the student and maintained that she had only escorted him out of the classroom.
An attorney for Concepcion, who has worked for Seminole County Public Schools for 29 years, according to the district, argued in court Friday that the allegations did not meet the legal threshold for child abuse.
“The student was misbehaving, and my client used the word ‘escorting’… the detective used the words ‘drag,’” the attorney said, according to FOX 35 Orlando.
“Basically, grabbed the child by the arm and took him out of the classroom – and there’s no indication in this probable cause affidavit that the student was injured in any way, no bruising on the arm, no other type of injury,” the attorney said. “Child abuse requires more than just touching a child.”
A judge determined that probable cause existed for the case to move forward and lowered Concepcion’s bond from $5,000 to $1,000.
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As a condition of her release, Concepcion was ordered not to contact the student and was prohibited from returning to Tuskawilla Middle School.
After the bond hearing, Concepcion gave her attorney two thumbs up before leaving the courtroom, FOX 35 Orlando reported.
Seminole County Public Schools has placed Concepcion on administrative leave while the investigation continues.
“We take all allegations involving our students’ safety and well-being seriously and will respond quickly,” a district spokesperson said.
“This teacher is currently on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. We will continue to work closely with law enforcement and the Office of Professional Standards in accordance with district policies and procedures.”
The surveillance video that allegedly shows the incident had not been released immediately.
Concepcion is expected back in court in November.
Her attorney, Tony Duran, told The Post, “I don’t comment on pending litigation.”