A high school in the American state of Tennessee witnessed a shocking incident, where a student attacked her teacher with pepper gas in the classroom after her mobile phone was confiscated.
Authorities confirmed that student Kayla Smith, 18, sprayed teacher Caleb Bates with the irritant, which appeared in a video that quickly spread on social media, sparking controversy about student behavior and the need to enhance discipline in schools.
Kayla Smith was arrested after the incident, expelled from school, and now faces felony assault charges. This is the second assault on Teacher Bates as a result of his attempts to maintain discipline, as two months ago he was attacked by another student after he was caught cheating during an exam. This reflects the increasing challenges that teachers face in providing a safe learning environment.
In a separate incident on Oct. 31, the school’s varsity football team had to forfeit a game as a result of code of conduct violations, school principal John Gimeno announced.
“Although I am legally prohibited from sharing specific details, I can confirm that the incident involved part of the varsity football team,” Gimeno stated in a letter to the school community. Another video clip showed a teenager being assaulted inside the locker room by the team’s players.
These incidents come after a tragedy that occurred on January 22, 2025, when a student opened fire in the school cafeteria; Which led to the death of a female student and the injury of another, and the shooter was identified as Solomon Henderson, 17 years old.
