See Video Footage Of A California Principal Strike A Special Needs Student
Former Fresno school principal Brian Vollhardt is seen shoving a student so hard that he falls to the ground.
A Fresno school principal was caught on camera forcibly shoving a student. He had worked for the district for 14 years, was placed on administrative leave the day after the incident, and resigned on August 4th. The child involved has special needs and after community outrage, child endangerment and child abuse charges have been filed and a warrant issued for the former principal’s arrest. See the footage below.
In the June 7th security video the Wolters Elementary School student can be seen aggressively walking up to former Fresno school principal, Brian Vollhardt. This continues as the student shoves his finger into Vollhardt’s face. The former principal does not offer much reaction until he quickly shoves the child so hard that it seems as if he struck the student.
School officials released the video and made a statement decrying the former Fresno school principal’s actions. The Superintendent has confirmed that the student has received care and is doing well, but that these actions cannot be overlooked. This comes over three months after the incident in question happened. Upset parents are now asking why it took so long for legal action to be pursued.
While the Fresno school principal acted against school policy, school violence has become a major concern for public schools across the nation, particularly student violence aimed at teachers and administrative staff. More children are violently acting out against educators than ever. This has become so common that one in 10 teachers have been physically assaulted by a student.
Whether this was a factor in the former Fresno school principal’s behavior is unknown. It is also unclear just what the student’s special needs affliction is, or if he had experienced previous issues in the past. What is known is that school discipline is a concern for many districts and each state has its own laws regarding student discipline.
While more progressive-leaning states like California and New York have relaxed student discipline, and even educational standards, others are becoming more strict. Conservative areas, like Missouri and other midwest states, have allowed some schools to bring back corporal punishment. This displays a political divide on the subject. While the former Fresno school principal is now facing a legal battle for his conduct when dealing with a student, parents in Cassville Missouri have requested that teachers be allowed to spank and even paddle their children when they do not behave properly in class.
The former Fresno school principal had already obtained a new position at another school, and this may have sparked parents’ urging for Wolters Elementary School officials to seek charges against him in an effort to protect other children from physical reprimand. How this legal battle affects his career depends on due process and the response of other communities. Regardless of opinions regarding student punishments, his actions violated school policy and he is to be arrested. The special needs student in question is said to be doing well and the school is determined to move on into the new school year with a clean slate.
