COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - Several teen inmates face punishment for assaulting a teacher at the Department of Juvenile Justice’s high school.
DJJ spokesman Patrick Montgomery says students grabbed a teacher and tried to leave the school Tuesday afternoon but were quickly apprehended by the agency’s police officers.
Montgomery did not specify the injuries but said the teacher did not require hospitalization. He says the assault involves “less than a handful” of juveniles, and the investigation continues.
He cited security improvements for helping prevent a “quickly escalating situation.”
DJJ is trying to ensure legislators it’s prepared to prevent a riot.
The agency’s director resigned last month following a critical audit that said DJJ remains understaffed; its officers are not properly trained; its security policies are outdated; and its police department is ineffective.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.