Mother says son's 3rd grade teacher tried to fight her outside MacGregor Elementary

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Houston ISD confirms to ABC13 that a third grade teacher at MacGregor Elementary School was removed from campus and has been recommended for termination following a confrontation with a parent on Thursday afternoon.

Vanessa Martinez said she went to the school Thursday afternoon to pick up her daughter who had a fever. She told the school she would also like to pick up her third grade son, Jordan.

She said her son's teacher entered the school's office holding him by his shirt, and he was crying.

"She's doing this neck-rolling thing waiting for me to look at her," Martinez said.

Martinez described the teacher's demeanor as being aggressive. She said the woman asked her to step outside the office so they could talk and proceeded to get in her face.

"It was, 'Your son doesn't listen' and you know, 'He's putting his hands on other students' and she's doing this," Martinez said waving her hands in front of her face.

She says about a week ago, her son received some new medical diagnoses from a psychiatrist, which she has provided documentation of to the teacher, and said doctors are trying to get his medication regulated right now.

Martinez said the school has not contacted her about a specialized plan for her son as recommended by the doctor.

She said her son has been coming home from school crying regularly, and she equated it to him being at a new school. Now, Martinez said she realizes it is more than that.

Jordan showed ABC13 a bruise on his leg that he said he got when the teacher caused him to fall.

"My knees red," Jordan said. "My shoulders red. My arms are red from yanking me and making me fall."

He explained that the teacher regularly grabs him by his shirt and pinches him leaving behind red marks.

The situation between the two women escalated Thursday afternoon just outside the doors of the school's office.

"She's taking her earrings off, and she's doing this trying to take off her necklace. She's like, 'So what's up? You want to fight?'" Martinez recalled.

The confrontation played out in front of Martinez's children and other kids, according to her.

She had given her son her phone, and he snapped a photo showing who the mother identified as one of the principals restraining the teacher.

"Whenever I said I was taking pictures, she tried to hit the camera out of my hand," Jordan explained.

The school's security guard got involved, and the teacher and the mother were separated.

Martinez said she went into the principal's office, and the principal started crying and said that it should not have happened.

The frustrated mother called HISD police and filed a report.

"I want her fired," Martinez said. "I want to press charges for her putting her hands on my child."

As of Friday afternoon, no charges had been filed.

"Look how she is while I'm here with my son," Martinez said. "Imagine how she has been treating my son alone."

HISD issued the following statement to ABC13:

"Shortly before dismissal Thursday, there was a verbal altercation between a teacher and a parent. The incident was witnessed by an administrator who intervened.

At no time during the incident was there physical contact between the teacher and student or parent. The teacher has been removed from campus and will be recommended for termination."

ABC13 could not find a teacher certification listed under the teacher's name with the Texas Education Agency online. It is unclear if she is a state-certified teacher.

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