Parents Furious After Video Emerges Showing Teacher Lifting 6-Year-Old Student by His Face

The parents of an Ohio kindergartner are furious after seeing surveillance footage that shows their 6-year-old son's teacher lifting him harshly off the ground by his shirt and then a couple of times by his face. What's more, they believe the school's punishment equates to just an early vacation for the offending teacher.

Anthony and Autumn Nelson from Wharton, Ohio, send their two children, including their son Ian, to Riverdale Schools. In surveillance video obtained by the family, Ian is seen walking down the empty hallway to the restroom. After a few minutes, he emerges, but the teacher is waiting for him.

She appears to question him, lifting him by his shirt and putting him against the wall. She then lifts the boy by his face around the chin area. There isn't audio to reveal what words were exchanged.

Image source: WTOL-TV

"He was in the other room. I watched it out in the kitchen and I just started crying. I burst out in tears," Autumn Nelson told WTOL-TV.

Watch the footage:

It is unclear when exactly the incident occurred, but WTOL reported that the family said they've previously filed a complaint against the teacher with the school's principal in November. The superintendent of the school district told the news site that the incident is coming up now because it was reported by a staff member. The superintendent then provided the parents with the video.

"We haven't dealt with this much at Riverdale. First of all I apologize to the parents. This should not happen," Eric Hoffman, superintendent of Riverdale Local Schools, told WTOL.

The teacher was given a 10-day suspension without pay, but Ian's parents don't think that's enough given that the last day of school falls within that time period.

"I don't think she should be teaching anymore. I mean honestly in this type of situation, there's no one that should ever put their hands on a child," Anthony Nelson told the news station. 

Watch Hoffman address questions regarding disciplinary action:

WTOL reported that the sheriff's office is conducting an investigation into the incident after the Nelsons brought forward the possibility of filing charges.