‘Why would you hurt my child in that way?’: Petersburg mother says her son was assaulted by teacher at school

PETERSBURG, Va. (WRIC) — A Petersburg mother is in disbelief after she says her son was assaulted by his teacher at Walnut Hill Elementary School on Monday.

Andrea Townes told 8News she received a phone call from the teacher’s phone and her son responded by telling her he was scared and that the teacher had pulled his hair while he was sitting down.

“You expect your kids to be safe, but instead they receive corporal punishment —that’s not supposed to be affiliated in schools,” Townes said.

8News was able to confirm with Petersburg Police and verify with online court records that the teacher charged in connection to this incident was Anasia Monroe.

Monroe has been charged with assault and battery.

Townes says her children have experienced unfair treatment at the school by other teachers as well. She says her children do not feel safe going to school as they are in fear of retaliation.

“[There] was another incident where my son was being bullied and his sister tried to console him and say ‘it’s going to be okay,’ and talk to him, pull them to the side,” Townes said. “And a teacher’s response was, oh, she’s doing too much. She’s making it worse.”

Townes explained this would cause her daughter anxiety.

8News reached out to Petersburg City Public Schools for comment and was met with an emailed statement:

Petersburg Bureau of Police recently made the division aware of an alleged incident of physical contact between the teacher and a student. We are cooperating fully with our partners at the Petersburg Bureau of Police and are also conducting our own internal investigation. The teacher has been removed from the school. We remain in close contact with our partners in the police department and our school community. At Petersburg City Public Schools we are committed to the safety and well being of all students. We will continue our internal investigation and take any required additional next steps.

Petersburg City Public Schools

Monroe is due in court for an arraignment on Oct. 18

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