psukhu
04 April 2005, 06:32 PM
Teacher arrested in attack
Woman dragged, hit instructor at her child's school, police say
02:09 PM CDT on Monday, April 4, 2005
By MARGARITA MARTÍN-HIDALGO / The Dallas Morning News
A North Dallas High School teacher was arrested and placed on paid administrative leave after an attack last week on a middle school teacher in front of students.
Paulette Baines was charged with assault with bodily injury in connection with the beating Friday, Dallas County Jail records show. Ms. Baines, 45, was released from jail early Saturday after posting $2,500 bail, a jail official said.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/img/wfaa/04-05/0404_paulette_baines.jpg
She could not be reached for comment. A man who answered the telephone at her home and said he was her husband said they had no comment.
Mary Oliver, a teacher at William B. Travis Academy/Vanguard for the Academically Talented and Gifted, said she suffered several injuries, including bruises to her face, a concussion and two broken ribs. Ms. Oliver, 45, who teaches seventh-grade science, was recovering from her injuries at home Sunday.
"Obviously, this is not something we take lightly," said Dallas Independent School District spokesman Donald Claxton. "We will not tolerate it. We're very disappointed by the behavior displayed by the [high school] teacher."
Mr. Claxton added, "There is nothing that would have warranted one educator assaulting another educator in a classroom full of kids."
The incident occurred Friday morning, after Ms. Oliver told several students who were at their lockers to go to class. One of the students, an eighth-grader, is Ms. Baines' daughter. Ms. Oliver said she didn't single out "any particular person. I said, 'Y'all' " need to get to class.
Students aren't supposed to be at their lockers during class time, and those students were, Mr. Claxton said. Upset, the girl went to the school counselor, who called Ms. Baines to tell her what had happened, the spokesman said.
Ms. Oliver said Ms. Baines arrived at the middle school, which is in Oak Lawn near the high school, and confronted her during class. Ms. Oliver said Ms. Baines was yelling at her as she walked across her classroom.
"I repeatedly told her 'I would be glad to talk to you after class,' " said Ms. Oliver, who said she taught Ms. Baines' daughter in the fifth and seventh grades.
According to the police report, Ms. Baines grabbed Ms. Oliver's hair, yanked her out of her chair and dragged her across the floor, punching her in the face several times. She also kicked her repeatedly, the report said.
"I was absolutely shocked. I was completely taken off guard," said Ms. Oliver, who said a police officer told her some of her students came to her aid while others ran for help.
"I want you to know I didn't raise a finger. I didn't raise my voice. I didn't do anything to aggravate the situation," Ms. Oliver said. "I did everything possible to defuse the situation."
Staff writer Toya Lynn Stewart contributed to this report.
E-mail mmhidalgo@dallasnews.com
Online at: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/040405dnmetteacher.9a041.html
Woman dragged, hit instructor at her child's school, police say
02:09 PM CDT on Monday, April 4, 2005
By MARGARITA MARTÍN-HIDALGO / The Dallas Morning News
A North Dallas High School teacher was arrested and placed on paid administrative leave after an attack last week on a middle school teacher in front of students.
Paulette Baines was charged with assault with bodily injury in connection with the beating Friday, Dallas County Jail records show. Ms. Baines, 45, was released from jail early Saturday after posting $2,500 bail, a jail official said.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/img/wfaa/04-05/0404_paulette_baines.jpg
She could not be reached for comment. A man who answered the telephone at her home and said he was her husband said they had no comment.
Mary Oliver, a teacher at William B. Travis Academy/Vanguard for the Academically Talented and Gifted, said she suffered several injuries, including bruises to her face, a concussion and two broken ribs. Ms. Oliver, 45, who teaches seventh-grade science, was recovering from her injuries at home Sunday.
"Obviously, this is not something we take lightly," said Dallas Independent School District spokesman Donald Claxton. "We will not tolerate it. We're very disappointed by the behavior displayed by the [high school] teacher."
Mr. Claxton added, "There is nothing that would have warranted one educator assaulting another educator in a classroom full of kids."
The incident occurred Friday morning, after Ms. Oliver told several students who were at their lockers to go to class. One of the students, an eighth-grader, is Ms. Baines' daughter. Ms. Oliver said she didn't single out "any particular person. I said, 'Y'all' " need to get to class.
Students aren't supposed to be at their lockers during class time, and those students were, Mr. Claxton said. Upset, the girl went to the school counselor, who called Ms. Baines to tell her what had happened, the spokesman said.
Ms. Oliver said Ms. Baines arrived at the middle school, which is in Oak Lawn near the high school, and confronted her during class. Ms. Oliver said Ms. Baines was yelling at her as she walked across her classroom.
"I repeatedly told her 'I would be glad to talk to you after class,' " said Ms. Oliver, who said she taught Ms. Baines' daughter in the fifth and seventh grades.
According to the police report, Ms. Baines grabbed Ms. Oliver's hair, yanked her out of her chair and dragged her across the floor, punching her in the face several times. She also kicked her repeatedly, the report said.
"I was absolutely shocked. I was completely taken off guard," said Ms. Oliver, who said a police officer told her some of her students came to her aid while others ran for help.
"I want you to know I didn't raise a finger. I didn't raise my voice. I didn't do anything to aggravate the situation," Ms. Oliver said. "I did everything possible to defuse the situation."
Staff writer Toya Lynn Stewart contributed to this report.
E-mail mmhidalgo@dallasnews.com
Online at: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/040405dnmetteacher.9a041.html