Ohio Substitute Teacher Accused Of Threatening To Behead, Bury Misbehaving Students


A substitute teacher at Legend Elementary School in Newark, Ohio, was fired after he allegedly threatened to cut off the heads of a second-grade class and bury them if they continued to misbehave, according to the NY Daily News.

Student Riley Ham, 7, told reporters that she “doesn’t feel safe” after the substitute teacher, who is only being identified as Mr. S, threatened to behead and bury the children during class on Wednesday if they didn’t behave.

“He doesn’t deal with bad behavior and said if we act up or do anything that he didn’t tell us, that he would cut our heads off and bury us over where the construction is,” said Riley.

The girl’s father, Denver Ham, was not pleased with the substitute teacher’s comments as he stated it “hit close to home.” Just three years ago, he lost his eldest daughter in a car crash while she was driving to school and couldn’t imagine losing another child.

Superintendent Doug Ute later stated that the substitute teacher was trying to joke with the elementary students but instead scared them. “Our kids have to feel safe at school,” Ute said. “We take that seriously.”

However, the substitute teacher’s comment horrified Ham’s father, and he stated that “with the stuff going on in the media today with the school shootings and killings, there’s no room for even joking about that.”

The father stated that after hearing his daughter’s story, which other classmates confirmed, he became fearful of his daughter’s safety, as well as the other children. “It’s not what’s outside the school you have to worry about, it’s what’s inside. And that’s the worst part,” he said.

Several social media users were shocked after learning a substitute teacher threatened to behead a second-grade class if they misbehaved, but some believed the children might have fabricated the story.

In a Facebook post, Wendy Pollock wrote, “My guess would be that the kid is lying to get out of an assignment or some other just as dumb reason. Thanks to Trump and his dumb supporters, racism is completely out of the closet and what better way to get out of something than to cry foul?”

Another Facebook user, Victoria Sprinkle Smith, said, “Was it on tape? Did multiple students hear the threat? Some mischievous child could have made this up not understanding the major consequences. I hope this is not true. If so, get that man help.”

Melanie Miranda added, “Bad seed! If a teacher had said this to us, as people in our 30s and older, we may have been frightened, but children today would feel a fear that no child should while in their classroom. They are for the most part aware of what can go wrong and could be scarred by such an event. I know he was fired, I hope they revoke his teaching license.”

After learning about a substitute teacher threatening to behead misbehaving students, a spokesperson for Newark City Schools released the following statement via email.

“Newark City Schools learned this evening of allegations that a guest teacher made inappropriate comments to students. The comments were alarming and should not be said by any district employee to any student.”

“The district is now investigating the comments, and the guest teacher will not work in the Newark City School District, pending the results of the investigation. The person is not a full-time employee of Newark City Schools.”

“We apologize to the students who heard the alarming phrase, and to their parents,” the email continued. “We encourage students and parents to contact building’s principal or the district superintendent with any information related to student safety or other educational concerns.”

[Featured Image By Dolgachov/iStock]

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