Posted on 11/09/2025 9:49:13 AM PST by janetjanet998
A disturbing video from Antioch High School in Nashville shows 18-year-old student Kayla Smith pepper-spraying her teacher, Caleb Bates, after he took her phone during class. She was arrested right after the incident for assault.
What makes it even worse is that this wasn’t the first time Bates had been attacked over a phone. Just two months earlier, another student punched him in the face after he caught them cheating. It’s part of a growing problem teachers are dealing with when they try to enforce basic classroom rules.
On the first day of school, confiscate all smart/cell phones. Lock them in a safe off site. The kids can get them back on the last day of school.
Exactly, destroyed.
Is that you Mrs. DeQuavrious?
I have no problem with the school expelling an adult (18yo) student who fails to follow their rules.
That said, the teacher has absolutely no right to violently seize an otherwise legal object from an adult student and per the law in Tennessee this is assault.
Self-defense is legal in Tennessee and if the student has a decent lawyer then that’s the way to go here.
“18-—20==I DO NOT CARE”
Okay, so the school has a “No cell phone” policy.
If as a parent you visit the school and you pull out your cell phone will you tolerate the teacher violently seizing it from you because they have a rule/policy?
It's called confiscation, sweetie - and for your mental set, it's obvious that you're part of the problem.
“It’s called confiscation, sweetie”
No, what was in the actual video was an act of violence against an adult.
Now let’s say you were visiting that school and for whatever reason you took out your cell phone. Naturally, you’d be fine with the teacher treating you the same way, right? Snatching your property from you without your permission or consent.
She made things much worse by attacking him with the pepper spray. She's the one who employed violence, not the teacher - that much is obvious from the video.
You're a really odd one.
The young lady is 18 and an adult. The teacher had exactly zero custodial authority over her and if she has a decent lawyer he/she will make that case.
Like I said, the school can most certainly expel her (and I imagine they will) but they have no authority to seize or confiscate anything of hers.
People like you are the reason our public schools are the mess they are today. It should be a given that students comport themselves with discipline and teachers - whatever are the student is - has the authority to confiscate unauthorized materials. And for that matter, people who cannot keep up with the curriculum or are discipline problems should be relegated to separate schools that specialize in these cases.
People like you should never be in any position to control our schools.
My kids are all homeschooled. No way in Hell would I put my kids through the gauntlet of public ‘education’ that I went through.
Also, you never answered my question:
“Now let’s say you were visiting that school and for whatever reason you took out your cell phone. Naturally, you’d be fine with the teacher treating you the same way, right? Snatching your property from you without your permission or consent.”
It remains a valid question.
Nothing....
Blame it on poor parenting and the willingness of the parents to sue the school district for actually trying to discipline the kid.......
I don’t remember getting this question from you before, but if I was a student there (I graduated from high school at age 17) I am sure that I would have known what the rules were and who my teachers were as authority figures. I might have objected to having my phone ripped from my hands but I would never have responded with violence, I was a pretty responsible guy. I didn’t get pugnacious until after Boot Camp.
Now, if you are asking if today - as a guy way past high school age and a parent if a Teacher took my phone, I’d be surprised and likely indignant and would head for the Principal’s office to discuss the situation.
Since you have homeschooled your children, I am forced to assume that current state of public schools is unsuited to your family’s education. Why do you think that is?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.