Florida teacher shoves first grader into wall, knocking out tooth, police say

RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — A first grade teacher at a Florida school violently shoved a 7-year-old student’s head into a wall, knocking out a tooth and causing his lip to bleed, police said.

Surveillance video shows the student walking in the hallway Jan. 28 and moving his hands on a bulletin board before Cynthia Smith, 64, pushes his head face-first into the wall, WPTV reported.

Smith then walks away from the student. The student is then seen favoring his mouth area with his head down.

Smith, a teacher for 12 years at Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary School, has a history of aggressive behavior, police said.

Investigators wrote that “Principal Katrina Granger said “she perceives (Smith) as very aggressive towards the children, and she has received numerous complaints from parents on her behavior,” WPTV reported.

The 7-year-old told school police that he was messing with the board when Smith pushed his face into the wall, causing his tooth to fall out.

Smith told investigators students were trying to remove things from the wall but that she never put her hands on anyone.

Smith was arrested and charged with child abuse, WPTV reported.

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