Teachers are being threatened by students violent actions. Marta Dean, a Coile Middle School teacher feels that students are not being properly disciplined for these actions because of funding for the school district. When Marta presented this issue to the school district, she was threatened with termination. Marta reported constantly being called profane names and having school supplies thrown at the back of her head. Marta is now petitioning the Clarke County School District with a law suit. She believes other teachers are facing similar issues but are scared of losing their jobs for speaking out. School officials said Dean was fired because she had problems with professionalism and multiple complaints from parents.

This wasn’t the only case of violence in the school systems for the Athens region. Principals of two other schools were injured in a school altercation. Last Wednesday two students got into a fight at Hilsman Middle School. Principal Selena Blankenship stepped in to break up the fight and her neck were was injured. Blankenship was taken to a local urgent care center. The other principal that was injured is Tanya Long of Cleveland Road Elementary. When Long heard students fighting on the bus, she ran to break it up. She was standing at the front the bus to escort students, when a ten year old boy struck her in the chest with his arm. Long fell out of the bus. She was taken to the hospital. Students involved with both accidents are being faced with criminal charges.