MEMPHIS, Tenn. — It was pure chaos inside a Wooddale High School art classroom on Tuesday as a 16-year-old student was caught on video attacking his teacher.
Memphis Police have identified the victim as Mark Kennell.
Students in the classroom told WREG the teen wanted to go in the hallway and the teacher told him no.
That’s when a couple of students reportedly chimed in.
“They was egging him on. They telling to do it or whatever and he fell for it,” said one student who was inside the classroom.
Before the teacher knew it, he was being struck from behind and pushed to the ground, a police document said.
The teacher was punched multiple times in the face.
Video of the attack quickly spread across social media.
“It was planned. This was something the student had said he was going to do,” said Ladell Beamon with Heal the Hood.
Beamon works with students at Wooddale High and said when classmates learned this was going to happen, some had their cell phones ready hoping to record the next viral video.
The 16-year-old was taken into Memphis Police custody and was expelled from school.
He’s also been charged with assault.
This isn’t the first time WREG told you about violence at Wooddale this school year.
In March, we talked to a group of parents, community activits and officers who stood outside the middle school when school let out.
They said it was all because the high schoolers were causing trouble such as starting fights and jumping parents.
Shelby County Schools wouldn’t say if there have been other reports of students attacking teachers at the school, or if the district will increase security or making staffing changes next year.
Beamon said he’s going to talk to the School Board.
“One of the things we are going to have to do is literally get the cell phones out of the hands of kids, because it becomes a weapon in the hand of the wrong person.”
Shelby County Schools told us the students who hit record are not in trouble as of now.
The teacher sustained some bumps and bruises, but was back at school Wednesday.