JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Authorities arrested a Duval County Public Schools teacher Friday, two days after she was honored as her school’s “Teacher of the Year,” WJAX-TV reported.
Caroline Lee teaches English at Darnell-Cookman School of the Medical Arts, according to the school’s website. Duval County Public Schools congratulated her Wednesday for being chosen as her school’s “Teacher of the Year” in social media posts, including one on Instagram, according to WJAX.
In a police report obtained by the news station, authorities said a student commented on the school district’s Instagram post asking if Lee was the same teacher who had used a racial slur in class last year. Lee responded, saying that the word was used in the context of John Steinbeck’s 1937 classic “Of Mice and Men,” WJAX reported. In a response, the student reiterated that it was wrong to use the slur, according to the news station.
On Friday, Lee told the student that she wanted to speak with her in a classroom, WJAX reported. The student said she was uneasy and went to the restroom instead, but when she returned, she said Lee was waiting for her and told the student to follow her, according to the news station.
The student told authorities that Lee asked her about a threat she’d allegedly made, and that after she’d denied making the threat, Lee hit her with the heel of her palm, causing her to bleed, WJAX reported.
“The student said Lee continued to hit her and call her profanities, and when she tried to stop the attacks, Lee struck her in the leg,” according to the news station. “Then the student said she was told to get out.”
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She went to the school’s guidance officer for treatment of her facial injury and reported Lee to police, WJAX reported.
Lee denied injuring the student and told police that another student had shown her a message in which the injured student had allegedly threatened her, according to WJAX. She said she asked the student to remove the online post she’d made about Lee using a racial slur in class.
In a letter sent to parents and obtained by WJAX, school principal Tyrus Lyles said he has been in touch with the injured student’s family and called the incident “obviously far below the standards and expectations we have for our school.”
“This type of behavior is not tolerated here or anywhere in our district,” he wrote. “The teacher has been removed from the classroom and will not return, pending the judicial and internal procedures.”
Duval County Public Schools Superintendent Diana Greene called the allegations against Lee and her arrest “beyond disturbing.”
“What is alleged should never occur — ever — especially in a school setting,” she said, according to WJAX. “I have no tolerance for adults who harm children, especially adults in a position of trust. We will cooperate with all investigations, and pending those results, we will take the actions necessary to stand up for and protect our students.”
School officials and police continue to investigate.