Teacher puts shavings in student's mouth

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ARLINGTON, Texas, Feb. 10 (UPI) -- An Arlington, Texas, teacher was suspended after she dumped pencil shavings into a student's mouth last month, officials allege.

Eighth-grader Marquis Jay said he was in class with his head back and opened his mouth when the teacher poured "pencil shavings in my mouth," KTVT-TV, Dallas-Fort Worth, reported Saturday.

Jay, 13, said he spit out the shavings and was taken to the nurse's office where he washed out his mouth.

Jay's mother, Deidre Brown, said she was told Friday the teacher, who was not identified, had been suspended after the incident.

"I wanted to cry because it was like how could she do that," Brown told KTVT. "What kind of message is it sending to the kids? She is supposed to be the teacher, the adult."

"This incident is unacceptable and was immediately and fully investigated by the [district] when it occurred almost a month ago. The district took appropriate disciplinary action," Amy Casas, Arlington Independent School District's communications director, told KTVT. "The school has been in constant communication with the student's mother about this incident and other matters. At no time has mom expressed any concerns about the manner in which this situation was handled to the school or the district."

The teen's family said it's speaking out because to help ensure that what happened to Jay doesn't happen to someone else.

Jay said the teacher is back at school and apologized.

"She said sorry for what happened," he said. "She wasn't thinking right."