Three former teachers in Texas were accused of swapping out their lesson plan for a disabled student with an activity that seemed more like a cruel and unusual punishment. Now, they’re in bigger trouble than just losing their teaching gigs.
Arrest documents from the Tyler ISD Police Department name 35-year-old Krystina Rena Haas, 22-year-old Prisicilla Gutierrez and 57-year-old June Renee Tryon as suspects in the March 12 incident, per CBS 19 TV. Authorities say administrators at Tyler High School reported one of their disabled students’ hands were swollen red when they got off the bus. The report says they found the student had their hands bound by packing tape.
Police say upon reviewing video footage from that school day, they saw the same student walk into a life skills room where Haas, Gutierrez and Tryon were present. The report says the student was immediately ordered to walk circles around the room.
Police said when the student slowed in pace, the teachers would order them to walk faster. At one point, police claim Haas yelled and cursed at the student.
The teachers were then accused of binding the student’s hands with packing tape once again and proceeded to mock the student for “walking like a robot,” the report says. Police claim the student stayed on his feet with the tightly wrapped tape for a total of four hours, having been forced to walk for half the time and ordered to stand in the corner for the other half.
Now, what would justify such alleged behavior toward a disabled student?
Police said in an interview, Tryon accused the student of being “rude” and “cursing and flipping off” teachers. Haas said the student was “mean for no reason,” also citing the use of vulgar language and pointed finger guns, the report says.
In response to the cops’ question about the walking punishment, Haas is alleged to have said, “Sir, four hours? Seriously? It’s not going to hurt them to stand for four hours or to walk. They’re not precious babies, they’re 14- or 15-year-old teenage kids.”
Welp, as of March 28, Haas and her two coworkers are bound themselves, behind the bars of Smith County Jail facing a criminal charge of injury to a disabled person. They are each being held at a $150,000 bond but Haas had hers increased to $300,000, the report says.