An Oklahoma teacher faces serious legal trouble after an incident of playful roughhousing left a student with a broken collarbone, according to the Oklahoma City Police Department.
Charges and Background
Kiera Smith, 41, has been charged with aggravated assault and battery following events at John Marshall Enterprise Middle School on Nov. 21. This isn’t her first brush with the law; Smith was previously arrested in 2018 for sexual battery, a case that ended with her pleading no contest to a misdemeanor assault and battery charge.
Incident Details
The alleged incident began during a 5th-hour science class, where students and teachers reportedly engaged in “play fighting.” Later, a similar situation unfolded in a 7th-hour social studies class. Multiple students provided written statements, and video footage corroborated the allegations, as detailed in the affidavit.
According to Detective Christian Hoehner, videos showed Smith wrestling with students, putting one in a hold, and “body-slamming” another. The situation escalated when a student approached Smith during the 7th-hour altercation, declaring the “play fight” was not over. Smith allegedly responded by lifting the student and slamming him to the ground, resulting in a broken collarbone. Videos captured the injured student lying in pain as Smith stood over him, raising her arms and exclaiming, “Anything else!” before returning to her desk without offering assistance.
Aftermath
The injured student’s mother, who also works at the school, discovered her son in pain and sought help. Smith allegedly dismissed her actions, blaming the student for inserting himself into the horseplay. Her account conflicted with the video evidence, which showed no efforts to aid the victim. Instead, Smith appeared indifferent, even kicking the student while he was on the ground, according to the affidavit.
Previous Legal Issues
Smith’s earlier arrest involved allegations of inappropriate contact with a fellow teacher at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School. The victim claimed Smith touched her inappropriately and made unsettling remarks, according to court records.
Current Status
Smith was arrested on Nov. 26, and no court dates have been scheduled as of now. The middle school has not commented on the situation.
This case raises questions about teacher conduct and the boundaries of appropriate behavior in educational settings.
