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Kentucky teacher recorded shoving, punching student resigns

Posted at 6:35 AM, Jan 09, 2020
and last updated 2020-01-09 06:35:03-05

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A Kentucky public school teacher who was recorded shoving and punching a student in her classroom has resigned amid the district's investigation into the fight.

Carrie Durham Adams resigned from her position at Iroquois High School on Monday, Jefferson County Public Schools spokeswoman Renee Murphy confirmed to The Courier-Journal.

Adams had been under investigation since October, when cellphone video emerged on social media of her and an underage male student engaging in a physical fight in her classroom.

In the 20-second video, a verbal dispute between Adams and the student escalates when she steps toward him, presses her chest to his and says: “Put your hands on me. You think I'm afraid of you?"

The student was captured pushing Adams back before she grabs him and shoves him to the floor. The fight continued as they exchanged punches while students in the background screamed and some left the room.

Jefferson Schools spokesman Daniel Kemp previously confirmed the video's authenticity to news outlets.

The 16-year-old student was charged with felony third-degree assault, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office previously said. Adams was removed from the classroom, but hadn't been charged as the district conducted an internal investigation, the newspaper reported.