Photo: YouTube / Mikel Lasser
Teacher tries to force schoolgirl to swim
It's nothing new for students to come up with excuses to avoid swimming lessons. But this teacher should never have reacted.
When 14-year-old Sandra Garcia refuses to attend swimming lessons, her physical education teacher Danny Paterson takes a frightening move to get his pupil into the pool. Paterson pulls and pulls on the girl's arms and legs and tries to drag her literally into the water. Another student films his teacher as he forces his student to take part in physical education. Sandra Garcia is said to have sustained injury from this incident.
The reason for Sandra Garcia's refusal to attend the swimming class: she did not want to ruin her hair. The 14-year-old had already styled for a later event and did not want to endanger her styling. Instead of warning his student in a different way, Danny Paterson reacted inappropriately. Grasping and trying to force his student to go into the water was without question the totally wrong reaction.
The video of the incident is said to have been recorded in August at Edison High School in the city of Stockton, California. When the recordings come to the public, sports teacher Paterson is first on leave, but then reinstated at another school. However, as Sandra Garcia's family is now facing charges of assault, the school board again ordered Danny Paterson's leave.
Family lawyer Gilbert Somera, appalled by the way Paterson dealt with his student. Regarding USA today, he said, "Regardless of how she participated in class, it should disgust the viewer as to how this man touches a 14-year-old girl." She says, "My top is sliding down."
The sports teacher himself should not have commented on the incident and the recordings at this time.
