A teacher in Florida has been arrested and charged with child abuse and battery after an incident involving a 12-year-old student at Putnam Academy of Arts and Sciences in Palatka. James Bellamy was taken into custody on Monday and has allegedly admitted to the altercation.
According to the Palatka Police Department, officers were called to a home where the student’s mother reported that her son had been injured by a teacher at his school. The mother stated that she had seen a video of the incident, which showed Bellamy and the boy playing basketball together. In the footage, Bellamy can be seen throwing the ball at the boy and then elbowing him in the mouth, resulting in the child losing a tooth.
The student confirmed the incident to the officers, stating that Bellamy had become angry with him for supposedly intentionally hitting the teacher’s arm or head during the game. The child also mentioned that Bellamy had called him back onto the court and then suddenly hit him with his elbow, causing his tooth to be knocked out.
Putnam Academy of Arts & Sciences teacher James Bellamy, 41, has been charged with child abuse & battery. He allegedly elbowed a child in the face, knocking out one of the child’s teeth.https://t.co/yP1RRdwaWQ
— Orietta Rose 🇺🇲 (@0riettaRose) December 7, 2023
Upon speaking with Bellamy, he admitted to the altercation and stated that the student had hit him, leading him to call the boy back onto the court. Bellamy also said that he threw the ball at the child, but claimed it was not intentional.
Bellamy is currently being held in the local jail without bail. The school, Putnam Academy of Arts and Sciences, has not yet responded to requests for comment on the incident.
This incident is a concerning example of potential abuse of power by a teacher. It is the job of educators to create a safe and nurturing environment for their students, and physical altercations such as this should never be tolerated. The school should fully cooperate with law enforcement in their investigation and take appropriate action against Bellamy.
