Video: Ypsilanti middle school coach chokes 14-year-old
YPSILANTI, Mich. (FOX 2) - An Ypsilanti family is demanding answers after their 14-year-old was assaulted at school – by a staff member.
The attack was caught on camera and Yolanda Ellis, the mother of the unnamed student, is angry and upset about what the grown man did to her teenage son.
"I’m outraged at the fact that someone would come behind a 14-year-old child and proceed to choke him," she said.
Ellis' son was attacked by his now-former coach inside Ypsilanti Middle School last week. Ellis said her son argued with the coach over a discipline issue. But it shouldn't have escalated to this point. She feels another teacher who was nearby didn't act with urgency to de-escalate.
"We just recently got Mike where he has been social and working on his people skills. Since the incident, he has not been outside. He didn’t want to go back and finish his school days," Ellis said.
Attorney Jordan Vahdat is representing the student and his family and says they plan to send the school district a litigation notice to hold them accountable – but they also want to meet with the district.
"In that video, there should have been other people rushing in and stopping that assault. I didn’t see that happen," Vahdat said. "Number one is accountability, and the school needs to do something to make it right. Now they’ve inflicted trauma and it’s something he’s going to have to work through.. he should be looking forward to summer."
After learning about the alleged assault, the Ypsilanti Community Schools superintendent sent a letter to parents condemning the actions.
"The actions of the employee are absolutely unacceptable and will not be tolerated in our district. Effective immediately, the employee is no longer working at the school district, and is not permitted to enter school property or attend school activities."
You can read the entire letter below.
Ellis said her goal right now is to take care of her son.
A 14-year-old is assaulted and choked by a Ypsilanti Middle School coach -- now his family is demanding change.
"The thing I want to do is to make sure Mike is safe first of all when he returns back to school. Also, get him the help that he needs as far as trusting people," Ellis said.
The student’s family has filed a police report, but the coach is not facing charges at this time. Ellis said the other staff member who didn’t act with urgency to break up the assault should be investigated too. As for the student’s educational future, his parents aren’t sure if he’ll return to Ypsilanti Middle School next year.
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Full letter sent to parents from Dr. Alena Zachery-Ross:
Dear Ypsilanti Community School Families,
I am writing to address a serious incident that occurred at the end of last week at our middle school. Ensuring the safety and well-being of our students is our top priority, and we want to reassure you that we are treating this matter with the utmost seriousness.
As soon as we were made aware of the incident, we took swift and decisive action. We immediately contacted social services authorities and began cooperating with local law enforcement. Such actions are absolutely unacceptable and will not be tolerated in our district. Effective immediately, the employee is no longer working at the school district and is not permitted to enter school property or attend school activities.
We understand the concern this incident may cause within our community. Please know that we are committed to continuing to fully cooperate with the involved authorities. Due to the ongoing nature of this investigation and the involvement of a student, we are unable to provide specific details.
Our district's unwavering commitment is to create a safe and supportive environment for all students. We will continue to implement and enforce policies that protect our students and ensure their well-being. Your understanding and continued support are invaluable as we navigate this difficult situation together.