Crime & Safety
Substitute Teacher Charged With Battery On Student In Tampa: Sheriff
A substitute teacher in Tampa was charged with battery after trying to start a fight with a student, grabbing his cell phone, HCSO said.
TAMPA, FL — A substitute teacher was charged with battery after an altercation with a student, according to a Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office news release.
Benjamin Barnes, 26, a substitute at Webb Middle School in Tampa, got into an argument with a 14-year-old boy Tuesday around 9:30 a.m.
During the argument, Barnes used “racially charged language,” tried to start a fight and grabbed the boy’s cell phone from his hands, the sheriff’s office said.
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The student left the classroom and reported the altercation to a school resource deputy.
Barnes, a substitute teacher with Kelly Services who isn't an employee of Hillsborough County Public Schools, was arrested and charged with battery.
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"What happened today is a betrayal of everything an educator is supposed to represent," Sheriff Chad Chronister said. "Our teachers are supposed to create a safe space for learning and respect, not fear and intimidation. This behavior is completely unacceptable, and this teacher will face the consequences of their actions."
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