A Georgia high school coach was suspended after he defended himself by restraining a belligerent student who was ultimately found to be in possession of a loaded firearm.
The school’s principal summoned Miller to her office, claiming that there had been reports of students on campus carrying guns. “During that process, we located guns,” Miller told Fox 5, claiming that “we saved lives.”
Kenneth Miller said that he was standing with police when they approached a student at Tri-Cities High School. According to police body cam footage, the student became aggressive and hit Miller with a stapler.
The brave teacher went up to the student and restrained her before any harm could come to the innocent people at the school.
Initially, after the student was detained, Miller was fired but the district switched the termination to a suspension. Miller claims that he didn’t do anything wrong. “I only adhered to what Fulton County School Board Policy says you’re allowed to do,” he said. However, the Fulton County School District said in a statement that it did not support Miller’s actions and that he “failed to meet… professional expectations.”
A loaded gun was later found in the student’s backpack. Miller said he also located a second gun on campus that day.
Allen Lightcap, Miller’s attorney, said in a statement:
“Coach Miller is the reason all of metro Atlanta does not know the date of August 20, 2021. That’s because he averted another tragic school shooting that day, and no one was hurt. Everyone went home safe. Coach Miller is the reason these guns were found.”
Although Miller might have saved lives, he was suspended from work and may never be able to teach young minds ever again. Because Miller restrained a student, the Fulton County School District filed a termination charge against Miller.
In a statement to McClatchy News, the school district said that Miller “failed to meet the professional expectations it has for employees.”
The full statement read:
“Mr. Miller acted outside of the scope of his authority and responsibilities. Mr. Miller’s conduct resulted in an escalation of a physical altercation with a student in crisis, which conflicts with district expectations to deescalate in these types of situations.”
Lightcap, Miller’s attorney is arguing that his client had “the right to self-defense.”
“This is especially true when guns are involved. Teachers should not be terminated or suspended when it’s clear they were defending themselves.”
District officials set up a termination hearing but “abruptly canceled by the District without Coach Miller’s consent” and changed their charge to suspension.
Lightcap said:
“Now that the district has changed its charge to a suspension mid-trial, Coach Miller no longer gets to call witnesses so that the truth can come out.”
Do you think this high school teacher should lose his job for restraining a student who had a gun?
Watch the video report from Fox 5 below:
Watch it here: Fox5/Youtube
Source: AWM
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