Students take turns beating classmate when sub asks for volunteers, Florida cops say

A 57-year-old substitute teacher asked an elementary school class for volunteers to beat up a student in Florida, then four of them took turns hitting him, authorities said.

Geanene White was fired and is now facing a charge of child abuse and four counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, according to an arrest affidavit by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office filed March 2.

“The safety and well-being of our scholars and staff have been and will always be our top priority, and as such, we investigated the matter immediately according to protocol,” the First Coast YMCA said in a statement shared with McClatchy News. “Upon completion of the internal investigation, we terminated the substitute teacher’s employment.”

White was subbing for a class at YMCA Tiger Academy on Feb. 12 when she told the students to get into small groups to do their work, witnesses told officers.

One student reportedly did not cooperate, so White asked the class, “Who in here can beat him up?” according to the affidavit.

Four students raised their hands, and White had them take turns hitting the boy, police said, based on witness statements.

After the students were done, witnesses said White pushed the boy, “causing him to hit his head on the desk,” officers wrote.

White called for help, and two staff members came in, according to police. She told them the student “needed behavioral assistance” but didn’t tell them about the fight, according to officers.

The other adults spoke to the elementary school students, who explained what had happened, officers said.

When White was taken into custody March 1, she denied telling anyone to beat up the student and said she had tried to pick him up from the ground after two fights happened in the classroom, according to police.

One student who said he was involved in the fight said “the teacher told him to do it.”

Officers reported seeing cuts and bruises on and around the student’s ear when interviewing him.

The First Coast YMCA and Duval County Public Schools had both vetted the teacher when she was hired, the YMCA said in its statement.