Teacher arrested for pulling 12 year-old girl’s hair as students scream at her to stop

Jennifer Wells-Jackson, 49, charged with risk of injury to minor and second-degree breach of peace after altercation caught on video

A teacher has been arrested for allegedly pulling a 12-year-old girl’s hair during an altercation caught on video.

Police were called to reports of an assault at King Robinson Inter-district Magnet School in New Haven, Connecticut, at about 3.45pm on 1 February.

Jennifer Wells-Jackson, 49, was accused of pulling a student’s hair, according to local media reports.

She was charged with risk of injury to a minor and second-degree breach of peace.

Video footage of the incident, obtained by WTNH, appears to show a woman holding on to a girl’s hair inside a classroom before letting go as a crowd of youngsters shout at them.

The student was not seriously injured and declined medical attention, WTNH reported police as saying.

Her mother told WTNH there was no justification for the teacher’s actions.

She said: “There’s certain things you say and there’s certain things you don’t say, there’s certain things you do and certain things you’re not supposed to do especially when dealing with people’s children.

“At the end of the day, there’s no justification for putting your hands on someone’s child.”

Ms Wells-Jackson was later released on a $20,000 bond and is expected to appear in court this week.

According to WTNH, she became the fourth teacher in the New Haven School District to be arrested since November.

A spokesperson for New Haven Public Schools told Patch news website the district “takes student safety very seriously” and that the school and district were “cooperating fully” with police.

The Independent has contacted New Haven Police, King Robinson Inter-district Magnet School, and New Haven Public Schools for comment.