By Jennifer Emert - bio | email
ALBANY, GA (WALB) - An Americus-Sumter High School Ninth Grade Academy teacher was knocked unconscious by a student Tuesday while trying to break up a fight.
The Special Ed teacher was sent to Phoebe Sumter Hospital and is expected to be out several days while she recovers. Both students were taken to the Sumter County Sheriff's office and could face charges of battery or worse.
The school system's policy is clear, assault and battery on a school employee is a minimum ten day suspension. Right now both girls involved in the fight are suspended and the student who struck the teacher could be expelled.
A fight between two teenage girls in the hallway outside the ninth grade academy cafeteria that sent a teacher to the hospital has school officials sending a strong message to students.
"We will not under any circumstances tolerate this kind of behavior," said Dr. Valerie Roberts, Americus-Sumter Assistant Superintendent.
School officials say, the ninth grade girls were being led to breakfast, when the fight between a 14 and 15 year old erupted. Special Ed teacher Michelle Blantz stepped in between the girls and told school Assistant Superintendent Dr. Valerie Roberts all she remembers is being hit from behind.
"The teacher was knocked out for a period of time, the ambulance was called," said Roberts.
Blantz was taken to Phoebe Sumter Hospital's Emergency Room.
"She had a CAT Scan there and she stayed there for a period of time to be assessed," said Roberts.
Basketball and Graduation Coach Michael Coley was nearby and helped break up the fight. The entire event was caught on the school's cameras, but because its under investigation they didn't want to share the video with us. They did share it with the sheriff's office where both girls were taken. They could face criminal charges in addition to the action taken by the school.
"Those students were immediately suspended. The child that actually struck the teacher will go before a hearing, a tribunal," said Roberts. School officials today said they didn't know when that tribunal would be held. Sumter County Sheriff's Investigators say they wanted to interview Teacher Michelle Blantz before deciding what charges would be filed against the girls," said Roberts.
Michelle Blantz complained of blurry vision, but was released from the hospital Tuesday afternoon.
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