BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. -- A man who taught at South Tech Preparatory School in Boynton Beach was arrested Monday for allegedly injuring a student.
He was placed on paid administrative leave after the incident last school year and resigned the following month, according to a public relations spokesperson for the school.
Boynton Beach Police made contact with a student and his parents, who advised them that the teacher at South Tech Preparatory School, identified as 48-year-old Scott Landstrom, caused the student victim to become injured.
Police say Landstrom was teaching his science class on April 30, 2018, and was verbally disciplining two students. When someone knocked on the classroom door, the student victim mumbled under his breath, "there's someone at the door", causing Landstrom to become angry.
Police say Landstrom stated, "Shut up! I've talked to you before about interrupting while I'm disciplining other students," before kicking the wooden barstool from underneath the victim, causing him to fall onto the tile floor and injure the inside of his right arm.
Police spoke with staff and students, including four students who confirmed that Landstrom had kicked the stool, causing the victim to fall and injure himself.
Landstrom told police it was not his intention to make the student fall off the chair, or harm him in any capacity. Landstrom says he intended to "tap" the stool and believes he only tapped the stool with his foot to remind the student to stay quiet as he reprimanded the other children. Landstrom denied striking the stool with an excessive amount of force and/or out of anger.
Scott Landstrom is charged with Child Abuse (without great harm).
Story updated to clarify the teacher was placed on paid administrative leave after the incident last school year and resigned the following month.
