We've already told you the stories of murderous teachers and college professors. We've even told you about teachers who completely lost their minds. On the flip side, some students frequently cause trouble for teachers and other students. But we like to think that parents are the voice of reason when there's a problem with their kids at school.
Yes, teachers have to deal with angry parents at times. But these parents usually just verbally abuse teachers whenever they believe their children are being mistreated. However, some parents go further and violently attack their children's teachers.
10. Catherine Lang-Engelhardt
When Catherine Lang-Engelhardt confronted an unruly group of students, she confiscated one student's lacrosse stick. She wrote the 12-year-old student up for cursing and not having a hall pass.
The student told her mother, Annika McKenzie, that the teacher had "pulled my arm and pushed me against the wall"—a claim that was never proven. McKenzie drove to the school, marched past the school's security, and waited outside Lang-Engelhardt's classroom.
When Lang-Engelhardt left her classroom, McKenzie confronted her. Lang-Engelhardt told McKenzie that she needed to get a pass from the security guards before they could speak. Instead, McKenzie struck the teacher, put her in a headlock, and threw her to the ground.
Lang-Engelhardt was quickly surrounded by students. She could not breathe and fell unconscious. While she was under, McKenzie's 14-year-old niece punched the teacher and hit her with a bottle.
When Lang-Engelhardt regained consciousness, she was dizzy, had blurred vision, and had to be hospitalized. She had suffered a concussion.
McKenzie was found guilty of assault and sentenced to six months in jail.
9. Stuart Devereux
One of Stuart Devereux's students refused to sit where he was told, and Stuart banished him from his classroom. Later that day, Stuart was asked to attend a meeting with the student's mother, Tracey Buckley. During the meeting, Tracey said, "You wouldn't bully my Jimmy (referring to her husband)." Then she added, "I hope he's [Stuart] gone home before Jimmy hears about this."
After the meeting, Tracey blocked the school's parking lot exit with her car. Stuart was stuck behind her. Tracey's husband, James, soon drove up. James jumped out of his van, ran to Stuart's car, and yanked open the driver's door. He screamed, "You won't bully me." Then he began beating Stuart.
James punched Stuart up to 10 times in his head before another parent pulled him off. Stuart was treated at the hospital for swelling to his jaw, a graze to his ear, and bruising. He suffered headaches for four days.
James claimed that he attacked in self-defense. However, jurors rejected that claim. He was jailed for eight months.
8. Jennifer Thorne
Jennifer Thorne was going outside to collect her students from the playground when she was attacked by Shan Shan Su and Derek Hoilett. Su grabbed Thorne's scarf and coat and yanked the woman down the hallway. Hoilett pushed Thorne and then held back parents who tried to help her. Su was loudly screaming as if "she was possessed" while she punched and kicked Thorne.
The assault left the teacher with chronic pain and panic attacks.
Both Su and Hoilett were arrested. The couple claimed that Thorne had upset their son. The day before the assault, their seven-year-old son had gone home crying and the pair wanted revenge. Hoilett was found guilty and was sentenced to 150 hours of community service.
Su pleaded guilty. She was sentenced to a 12-month community supervision order and had to attend an education and training program. After she was sentenced, Su began to cry loudly and was asked to leave the court. When she returned, she started shouting about her son's treatment at the school before she was forced to leave.
