TRUMANN, Ark. – A post on social media claims that a teacher in Trumann set a one-minute timer in class for kids to hit, kick, and throw things at a child – but an investigation by the Trumann Police Department tells a different story.
Posted at 5:29 PM on January 29 by Lou Ella Clover, the social media post states, “This homeroom teacher “Hannah Lynn Jones” set a timer for one minute Thursday the 25th between 3pm and 3:30 pm for the kids to hit, throw stuff n kick my grandson Cory Blake. I have filed a police report n several other things. I’ve talked to the school n got the run around. A few of the students in that class reported her to the principal, but yet Trumann school never contacted me on any of this, just gave me the run around.”
The same day, a complaint was filed by Ms. Clover with the department. NEA Report obtained the incident report through a records request. The complaint alleged the same as was stated in her social media post, with the only additional information being that the alleged victim was an 11-year-old boy.
On January 30, with class back in session, School Resource Officer Sergeant Johnny Johnson reviewed classroom video footage of the alleged incident, with the Trumann School District Superintendent Brandie Williams also present. The officer observed the entire classroom of students “rough housing with each other, including the alleged victim.” But the observations by the SRO were very different from the stories posted to social media.
“In the video, from approximately 1500 to 1530 on 01/24/24, I observed the suspect sitting at her desk and the students in her classroom. During the course of the video, nearly all of the students participated in rough housing with each other, including the alleged victim. At one point during the video, a student threw a book, nearly striking the alleged victim and another student. It was unclear if either of the students were the target or if the book was just thrown randomly. After the book landed on a desk near the two students, the alleged victim again began running in the classroom, where at least one other student raises a book as if to strike him with the book as he runs by, but the student with the book does not throw or swing the book. At other times in the video, students, including the alleged victim, kicked at and punched at each other in a playful manner, no genuine aggression was observed. During the video, the suspect could be heard telling the students to calm down and return to their seats. I did not observe, at any time during the video, the teacher setting a timer and allowing any of the other students to strike the alleged victim or the alleged victim in any state of distress. I was advised that the timer in question is used for bathroom breaks.”
The officer concluded the investigation, adding nothing further “at this time.”
Trumann Police Chief Jonathan Redman told NEA Report the video that was reviewed was on January 24 because the date in the social media post, January 25, was wrong.
Late Wednesday, K8 News reported that Trumann School District had confirmed Ms. Hannah Jones had been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation surrounding an incident with students. Attorney Rebecca Worsham of Mixon & Worsham represents the school district and previously told K8 News there was no evidence to the allegations. On January 31, Worsham then said the teacher had been placed on administrative leave.
NEA Report had difficulty getting records requests from Worsham until late Wednesday, following our initial publication, when the issue was apparently resolved.
While authorities found the online rumors to be unsubstantiated, it was noted by law enforcement that the class had reached an unruly state that could have possibly reflected poorly on the teacher.
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i know trumann schools are not forth coming with things that happen in their school district. whatever happened to the kid that was hit by a school bus just recently. nothing was said or done about that either that i have heard of or know of.
I am right there with you. I was just thinking about this issue a couple of days ago. In my opinion, there has been way too many “incidents” happening with the Trumann school district for a long time now. I’m not trying to say that every bad incident that’s happened at the school district is their fault but everything that has happened could’ve been avoided if they would have “working cameras in the hallways”, more staff members standing in the hallways in between classes, etc.