$390K Settlement Reached For Broom-Wielding Detroit Teacher
DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - A $390,000 settlement agreement has been reached in the case of a Detroit teacher who was fired after she used a broom to break up a fight between students.
Tiffani Eaton-Davis sued the Education Achievement Authority, Michigan's turnaround district for low-performing public schools, in federal court last year. She says the district violated her civil rights and failed to warn her about violent conditions at Pershing High School.
At a June 7 meeting, Education Achievement Authority board members voted to enter into the proposed agreement, which hasn't been finalized, according to the Detroit Free Press.
The April 30, 2014 incident was captured on a cellphone video that quickly went viral and made headlines nationwide.
Video shows the boys slugging it out, knocking over desks as classmates scream in horror. The video also shows Eaton-Davis — who is smaller than both boys — hitting one across his back with a broom in an attempt to stop the altercation. The student backs off after being hit with the broom, but the other student runs towards him and the fight continues. The scuffle, which lasted over a minute, eventually ended when another classmate stepped in and separated the boys.
Click here to watch the video. (WARNING: Video contains explicit language)
Following the incident, Eaton-Davis claimed administrations told her she could either resign or be terminated. When she refused to quit, she was fired for apparently violating the corporal punishment provision under the Michigan school code. After public outrage, the EAA eventually reinstated Eaton-Davis and told her she could pick any school within the district — but she declined.
Eaton-Davis' lawsuit initially sought $25 million in damages.
The boys involved in the fight, ages 15 and 16, received suspensions.
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