A St. Paul elementary school teacher was fired in February for charging at a student’s family members.
Police initially identified the teacher, Jennell Walker, as a victim. But a St. Paul Public Schools investigation portrayed Walker as the aggressor.
The school district released Walker’s Feb. 20 termination letter in response to a Pioneer Press records request.
According to that letter and St. Paul police, the confrontation took place Jan. 20 at Hazel Park Prep after a girls basketball team banquet.
A school employee told Walker that a student’s mother and 19-year-old sister had complained about bullying behavior by staff.
Walker exchanged aggressive insults with one of the women and told her to leave if she couldn’t stop swearing. But when the woman tried to leave, Walker “jumped up and ripped off (her) coat, throwing it on the floor,” and ran toward the woman.
The other family member and a second school employee got between the two, saying, “You’re a teacher. Please stop.”
“Staff B had to push you away from the family three separate times because you repeatedly attempted to lunge at, and assault, the family,” the termination letter reads.
Walker told a school district investigator she was trying to escort the family out of the school. But video of the incident showed otherwise.
Walker, 38, worked for Hazel Park for about 20 years. She taught second grade last year and preschool this year.
Police had arrested the student’s 19-year-old sister on suspicion of fourth-degree assault the night of the confrontation but prosecutors declined to charge her.
Walker could not be reached for comment.