
Image source: Twitter video screenshot via @libsoftiktok
A video circulating on social media allegedly shows a public school teacher forcibly removing a student from a classroom for not wearing a mask.
The short clip shows a masked, apparently bald man grab an unmasked male student from behind in a bear hug and walk him out of the room, intermittently lifting him off the floor in the process, until they're both through the doorway.
Masked students seated at tables laugh at the scene as the student being carried out of the room appears to utter unintelligible phrases.
Check it out:
Teacher at @AVUSD forcibly removes a student from the classroom for not wearing a maskpic.twitter.com/S5vVuAGLlU— Libs of Tik Tok (@Libs of Tik Tok) 1645659037
The Apple Valley Unified School District — which is about 50 minutes north of San Bernardino in southern California — said in a Facebook statement Wednesday that it's "been made aware of a video circulating on social media of a student and staff member at [Apple Valley High School]. At this time, AVUSD is investigating the incident and appropriate outside agencies have been notified. All investigations are confidential. We cannot comment on active investigations. Appropriate actions will be taken based on the California Penal Code and/or Education Code violations."
The HD Daily News out of Hesperia, which about 20 minutes southwest of Apple Valley, reported that social media has indicated the teacher removed the student because the district mandates that masks must be worn in classrooms.
The Daily News on Thursday said the district released a statement noting that students who refuse to wear masks indoors aren't allowed indoors. In addition, the outlet — citing the district's statement on masks — said such students have been given an outdoor environment where they can complete assigned classwork. The statement also indicated that if students are defiant, the district encourages students to comply, the Daily News added.
Interestingly, the Apple Valley school district's Facebook statement on the video limits who could comment on it (read: there are no comments), so folks simply commented underneath an unrelated post from last Friday — and they weren't happy: