Authorities accuse a dean at a middle school in New York City of strangling a student in the cafeteria.
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Police say the incident occurred on Thursday during lunchtime at the Charles O. Dewey Middle School in Brooklyn, per a report by CBS. The school dean allegedly saw the 13-year-old student was out of uniform and asked them to change it. The boy refused, which started an argument between the two. The dean, Elvin Venture, 53, then reportedly put the student in a chokehold.
The outlet explains that a criminal complaint alleges that "The defendant pushed the informant with his hands, wrapped his hands around the student's neck, and applied pressure." A teacher reportedly had to intervene to break the pair up. The complaint also alleges that the student suffered "substantial pain about his neck."
A student who was in the cafeteria at the time said, "I was terrified. I didn't know what was going to happen next."
Authorities Arrested The School Dene The Following Day
Police arrested Ventura on Friday. According to a report by the Independent, the Dean faces multiple charges, including second-degree assault, criminal obstruction of breathing, and endangering the welfare of a child. Authorities reportedly released him without bail. Jenna Lyle, a spokesperson for the Department of Education, said, "This employee has been reassigned away from students pending the outcome of the arrest. And if convicted, we will pursue termination.
This incident is disturbingly similar to another that occurred at Ritchie Park Elementary School in Montgomery County. Here, authorities accused the now-former principal of grabbing a 6-year-old child by the foot and stamping on their foot in a busy cafeteria.
The former principal, Andrew Winters, allegedly looked around before placing his foot on the students. A school security camera caught footage that seems to show the event, although he was ultimately acquitted, citing a lack of evidence.
Authorities assigned Winters to a new school, Rock Creek Vally Elementary, although he quit after massive backlash from parents. The student's mother was shocked when she learned of the footage. "It's scary to know there is video evidence of him physically assaulting my son and that he was found acquitted. I'm still trying to understand it," she said.
