ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — A Rochester family is afraid to send their children back to school after they say their son was assaulted by a substitute teacher at RCSD school number 50.
According to his parents, 7-year-old Mathias Tucker was dragged across the floor and slammed into a wall Tuesday at school. Now, they say they’re worried for their child’s safety.
Mathias’s parents, Kechard Tucker and Santeli Gonzalez, say they received a call from the school around 10 a.m. Tuesday notifying them their son had been assaulted by one of the school’s substitute teachers.
Kechard says when he arrived at the school, he was told the teacher had already been sent home and the school was unable to release her name or security footage of what happened. He says he asked what prompted the physical contact.
“Even when I got to the school, I talked to the principal. There is no bad remarks about my son,” says Kechard.
The parents later went through the school board to watch the security footage of the incident, which they say showed a woman dragging Mathias across the hall, picking him up by the shoulders, and slamming him against the wall.
The parents say they were unable to obtain the video due to the school board’s safety protocol.
Mathias explains he bumped into another student before he says the teacher grabbed him.
Mathias explains, “She grabbed my arm and then pulled me to the wall. Then my head and two shoulders and back started hurting. Because she banged me hard on the thing.”
Mathias was evaluated by the nurse, but no injuries were found, and the parents aren’t sure whether or not the substitute will return to school.
Santeli says she’s nervous about her child’s safety in the future.
“It’s just frustrating you know, you send your kids to school to learn and have fun and interact with friends, we’re not expecting them to be assaulted by grown women that they don’t know. It’s frustrating and it’s heartbreaking,” says Santeli.
Kechard also voiced his concerns, saying, “I told the principal I don’t expect my son to be back. My son loves school. He wants to go back. But I don’t feel safe sending my son somewhere he’s not safe.”
“How long has she been doing this to other people’s children? And I don’t want this to keep going for anybody else,” adds Kechard.
According to RPD, the investigation into these allegations is ongoing and they are unable to share any details at this time.
The District says they are aware of this situation, and an internal investigation is underway.
Check back with News 8 WROC as we will continue to update this developing story.
