A substitute teacher in the Hays Consolidated Independent School District has been fired and is facing charges after she assaulted a high school student at Lehman High School in Kyle, school and law enforcement officials said. Several students captured the assault, which occurred in a foreign language class, on video, school district officials said.
According to the Hays County Sheriff’s Office, Tiffani Lankford, 32, was charged with aggravated assault. Sheriff’s officials said deputies interviewed several students and reviewed videos that captured the apparent assault.
The victim, a sophomore at the school, was taken to a local hospital.
“As a Hays CISD family, when one of our schools and students is hurting, we all hurt,” the school district said in a statement. “You may have already seen stories on the news tonight, or the video on social media, about a horrible incident that occurred late this afternoon at Lehman High School.
“It was a traumatic event for the student, her classmates, and the teachers and staff at Lehman High School. Let us all keep the Lobos in our hearts this weekend. I know we all wish our student and her family well as she recovers from this assault.”
According to the district, Lankford came on as a susbstitute teacher on Aug. 30 and has worked in a classroom in the school district 18 times, including on Friday. She has been fired.
The district also said that all substitute teachers are required to pass fingerprint criminal background checks.
“Under no circumstance is that behavior tolerated at Lehman High School or in Hays CISD,” Karen Zuniga, principal of Lehman High School, said in a statement. “We take the safety and security of our students seriously. We took swift action when this incident occurred and will do everything necessary to protect our students.”
The school district said it will also report the incident to the Texas Education Agency and cooperate with law enforcement investigators.
The Hays County Sheriff’s Office was asking anyone with information to contact them at 512-393-7896 or via CrimeStoppers at 1-800-324-TIPS (8477). Tips to CrimeStoppers can also be submitted online.
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