CONYERS, GA — The family of a middle school student want answers after his teacher allegedly assaulted him in the classroom.
The 2020 Teacher of the Year was terminated after being accused of hitting a 13-year-old student repeatedly.
Video footage shows Melvin McClain inside his classroom at Conyers Middle School, approaching Malachi Sherman and hitting him over 20 times in the head and stomach, keeping another student in the classroom to watch.
The attorney for Sherman’s family says he is the fourth client in the last two years to face violence from a Rockdale County teacher.
“We will have to see the school district have an independent party come in to do a full assessment and audit of Rockdale County’s current procedures as well as their training,” said Attorney Kianna Chennault.
McClain told officers that the students horseplay all the time. He is charged with first-degree cruelty to children, two counts of third-degree cruelty to children, and simple battery.
The school district says they do not tolerate any behavior that harms children. They add that after the investigation, McClain never returned to the classroom.
