WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. — A junior high school teacher in West Memphis, Arkansas was arrested Thursday and accused of getting into a fight with an 8th-grade student last week.
Kenneth Cauley, 29, a teacher at Wonder Junior High, is charged with third-degree battery and filing a false report, according to Crittenden County jail records. He was released on his own recognizance.
Cauley has been placed on administrative leave by West Memphis Schools while they conduct an internal investigation, West Memphis Police said in a statement.
The student has been released from juvenile custody and all charges against him were dropped, police said. According to a police report, on Aug. 9, Cauley was confronting a student about vaping at school, but the confrontation turned physical at some point.
Cauley allegedly threatened the student, bumped him and tussled with him until another staff member broke them up. Police said they reviewed video of the incident, and determined Cauley was the aggressor.
Investigators say Cauley could be heard using profanity and calling the student a “whiner” in one of the two videos they reviewed. The teen replies, but it’s hard to understand.
Cauley could be heard allegedly threatening the 8th grader with a “whooping,” investigators say. Caderia Watkins, the boy’s mother, said she’s unsure whether her son will return to the school.
“At this point I am not sure if I am going to take him out the district and put him somewhere else, I don’t know, I just want him to be safe,” she said.
Police said the West Memphis School district has “a strict policy against any sort of violence.”
“We understand that this situation is concerning for students, parents, and the community. The West Memphis Police Department is committed to a thorough and transparent investigation to ensure justice is served. Thank you for your trust and support as we continue to work towards maintaining a safe environment for all students and staff,” police said.
According to the West Memphis School District, Cauley was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
“We want to assure citizens that we are focused on the safety of all our students within our school community and that we are committed to addressing this concern quickly and justly. All students should feel welcomed, safe, and protected in our care,” said the WMSD in a statement.