VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The Virginia Beach Police Department has confirmed that a student attacked a teacher inside Independence Middle School.
A spokesperson for Virginia Beach City Public Schools says it happened on Dec. 20, just hours before the start of winter break.
Previous coverage: Teacher attacked in the classroom by student at Virginia Beach school
The teacher, who has not been publicly identified, was treated for minor injuries and is expected to return to work, according to VBCPS. They also mentioned that a second student became involved in the altercation.
Heather Sipe, president of the Virginia Beach Education Association and a veteran of middle and high school teaching, expressed her concern about the implications of such incidents.
“Every student in that class is going to need to talk to somebody,” she said.
Sipe also addressed the psychological impact on the teacher involved.
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“Personally, I would find it hard to return from something like that,” Sipe stated. “Physical injuries heal. The emotional and mental takes longer to heal, and it’s a process.”
When asked about the potential effect on staffing numbers, Sipe asserted, “Oh, it absolutely has an effect… everybody wants to be safe in their work environment.”
Data from the Virginia Department of Education revealed that, in the 2023-2024 school year, the Tidewater and Eastern Shore region had the highest teacher vacancy percentage rate in Virginia.
Sipe indicated that the VBEA advocates for additional funding to help address these concerns.
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“What we really push for in the advocacy piece with our elected officials is making sure that resources and funding are available for the things we need in our schools,” she said. “Like more school psychologists, more school counselors, and being able to have early intervention so we can identify behaviors in students that need extra support, so that things like this are less likely to happen.”
Police and VBCPS have not stated whether the student will face any charges. The school district reports that it is investigating the incident and that the student will be disciplined according to district guidelines.
The superintendent of Virginia Beach Schools was unavailable for an interview on Tuesday.
