A substitute teacher was behind bars on Friday after a video that went viral on social media showed him and a high school student fighting in a Las Vegas school hallway a day earlier.
According to one report, the fight between the adult and the teen broke out after a racial slur was used against the teacher.
A shocking video shared by KTNV-TV that was also posted on social media showed the two changing punches for several moments at Valley High School in east Las Vegas.
WARNING: The following video contains violence and coarse language that some viewers will find disturbing.
NEW: Las Vegas substitute teacher arrested after fighting student who allegedly called him the n-word
Re'Kwon Smith, 27, was recorded punching a student during a cafeteria fight at Valley High School in east Las Vegas
Police arrested both the student and teacher
Smith now… pic.twitter.com/k1UVJsiTJY
— Unlimited L's (@unlimited_ls) April 26, 2024
Eventually, the fight went to the ground where the much larger adult had an advantage and punched the student in the head.
The teacher appeared to taunt the teen and also slapped him numerous times.
KLAS-TV reported police identified the teacher as 27-year-old Re’Kwon Smith.
A Las Vegas substitute teacher was arrested after a fight at a high school on Thursday, according to CCSD police.
STORY: https://t.co/JQAWvd1dNH pic.twitter.com/xXeGiz4rmr
— Las Vegas Review-Journal (@reviewjournal) April 26, 2024
Smith had been a substitute teacher with the district since last November but as of Friday, he had been banned from ever working in a Las Vegas school again.
The now-former substitute was arrested, as was the student – who was not identified.
Valley High School principal Kimberly Perry-Carter said in an email statement to parents that she was “aware” of the fight but did not offer any further comments.
Smith was charged with battery resulting in serious bodily harm, assault on a school pupil on school property, threatening to do bodily harm to a public school student and interfering with a student from attending school.
He was scheduled to go before a judge Friday mooring and was being held on a $9,000 bond.
The Clark County School District Police Department said in a statement to KLAS that there is a zero-tolerance policy regarding violence at schools in the city.
“Violence in any form is unacceptable and goes against the fundamental principles of education and respect,” the department said.
Police added, “Any altercation between a teacher and a student is thoroughly investigated, and appropriate disciplinary action is taken.”
One student who spoke to KTNV said he is friends with the student who sparred with Smith Thursday.
The teen claimed his friend was hospitalized with a concussion and also suffered scratch marks.
