Georgia Educator Kept On Suspension For Defending Himself From Student

A Fulton County coach says he is in trouble with the district after defending himself against a student.

According to 11 Alive, on August 20, 2021, Tri-Cities High School Coach Kenneth Miller was with police officers confronting a student when she got angry and threw a stapler at him. Miller then grabbed the student and restrained her until officers stepped in.

The entire encounter was caught on an officer's bodycam footage.

The student was taken into custody and Miller was initially fired after the incident, but the district reversed its decision and changed his punishment to a suspension in 2021.

Miller's lawyer told 11 Alive that he is still on suspension months later.

"I don't feel like I did anything wrong," he said in an interview about the situation. "I only adhered to what Fulton County School Board Policy says you're allowed to do."

"Teachers get put in terribly dangerous situations and they have to be supported by the school systems that employ them," Miller's lawyer also said in an interview. "Those teachers are our first line of defense against guns and other types of terrible violence that happens in schools."

It was also noted that the student had a gun on her, but Miller and the officers were unaware of the firearm when she got aggressive.

In a statement about the incident, Fulton County Schools said:

"The district administration does not support Mr. Miller's actions relating to this event and believes his conduct failed to meet the professional expectations it has for employees. Mr. Miller inappropriately intervened in a student matter being handled by school administrators and law enforcement. Mr. Miller acted outside of the scope of his authority and responsibilities. Mr. Miller's conduct resulted in an escalation of a physical altercation with a student in crisis, which conflicts with district expectations to deescalate in these types of situations. Mr. Miller has not exhausted his due process rights at this time and remains on full, paid administrative leave. The district will not engage Mr. Miller or his attorneys in a public debate on this matter, but instead will allow the facts to drive the outcome of any related decision."