Brooklyn middle school dean accused of strangling student who refused to change into his uniform
Elvin Ventura, 53, allegedly wrapped his arms around the boy’s neck and applied pressure
A middle school dean in New York City is accused of attacking a 13-year-old student during an argument when the boy refused to change into his uniform.
Elvin Ventura, 53, who is the dean of students at Charles O. Dewey Middle School in the Sunset Park neighborhood of Brooklyn, was arrested after the incident on Thursday.
Police sources told multiple New York news outlets that it all began when Ventura saw the student in the cafeteria out of uniform and told him to change.
Students at the school must wear black pants and a blue, burgundy or black “Dewey” shirt depending on their grade level, the New York Daily News reported.
The student allegedly claimed he would do it after lunch but when Ventura spotted him a short time later in the cafeteria, still not wearing his uniform, an argument between the two ensued and a fight broke out.
According to the criminal complaint obtained by CBS News, Ventura pushed the student with his hands, wrapped his arms around his neck and applied pressure, which caused “substantial pain about his neck.”
“When I looked, I see the dean has the child into a chokehold,” Poseidon Agueda, a student who was in the cafeteria at the time, told cbs. “I was pretty scared. I didn't know what was gonna happen next.”
A teacher was finally able to break up the fight and police officers responded to the school where they took Ventura into custody at 3:45 p.m.
Ventura was arraigned on Friday on charges of strangulation, criminal obstruction of breathing, third-degree assault, harassment, and endangering the welfare of a child. He was released without bail.
“This alleged behavior is absolutely unacceptable,” Jenna Lyle, a spokeswoman for the New York City Department of Education said in a statement.
“This employee has been reassigned away from students pending the outcome of the arrest, and if convicted, we will pursue termination.”