Substitute allegedly allowed students to fight at Davis Middle School

On March 15, Theodore G. Davis Middle School in Waldorf had two physical altercations that the Charles County Sheriff’s Office is actively investigating.

Robert Griffiths, the principal of Davis Middle, said in a letter to parents, “The first incident involved a substitute inserting themselves into a situation involving a teacher and an administrator. The substitute went to an area of the building that they were not teaching in, became aggressive and physically reached toward the teacher, assaulting that teacher, before another staff member intervened and the substitute was escorted to a nearby office.”

In the second incident, which was filmed by a student, a school staff member allegedly allowed students to fight while classmates watched, and other students cleared furniture to create space for the fight, according to the Charles sheriff’s office.

“The second incident involved a substitute teacher allowing two students to enter a classroom to settle a dispute. These students were physically hitting each other while the substitute teacher stood at the door, eventually asking another student to break it up, after each student had been struck by the other a number of times,” Griffiths’ letter said. “This altercation was not reported to administration by this substitute teacher or any of the students involved.”

Over the weekend, officers became aware of the video of the altercation circulating and initiated an investigation. The Charles County State’s Attorney’s Office will be consulted regarding criminal charges, the sheriff’s office said.

“Acts lacking professionalism such as this are not tolerated. Employees of [Charles County Public Schools] who violate professional etiquette and endanger our students and staff, face school level discipline including immediate removal and the involvement of HR, DSS and the [Charles sheriff’s office],” Griffiths’ letter said.

According to Shelley Mackey, director of communications and media relations for the school system, both of the substitutes involved in the incidents are no longer working for the system. Neither the school system or the sheriff’s office would provide any more information on the altercations, including whether or not anyone was charged.

Anyone with information on either incident is asked to contact Charles sheriff’s officer Miedzinski at 301-609-3282, ext. 0668.

Replica gun found on studentIn a separate incident at Milton Somers Middle School on March 18, a school resource officer found a replica toy gun in a student’s locker, according to a release from the Charles sheriff’s office.

The officer found the student who owned the locker and placed him in another room with another student. The student who was found in possession of the replica gun struck the other student, but cannot be charged with a criminal offense, according to the release.

The Charles County Department of Juvenile Services was contacted.