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Teacher allegedly ‘knocked out cold’ by student’s angry mother

The teacher, Catherine Engelhardt was beaten by a woman and a 14-year-old at the Alverta B. Gray Schultz Middle School on Wednesday, police told The New York Post.

“It’s not like I thought a parent would do something, but I knew something violent was going to happen,” Engelhardt told WABC from her home.

Annika McKenzie.

Annika McKenzie.
WABC screen grab

According to police, Annika McKenzie, 34, allegedly assaulted Engelhardt. McKenzie’s attorney, Donald Rollack said the teacher had “put her hands on” McKenzie’s 12-year-old daughter earlier that day.

“As any loving parent, if someone puts their hand on your child, you’re going to react,” he told WABC.

Elias Mestizo, President of the Hempstead Classroom Teachers Association noted that Engelhardt is a veteran math teacher.

Mestizo said a security breach occurred, and McKenzie walked into the building without being cleared by security. It’s reported that she went to the classroom and waited for Engelhardt to return. When she did, a conversation ensued about an “incident earlier in the day,” and the teacher called for security.

He told The New York Daily News that shortly after McKenzie’s daughter called her mom, it wasn’t long after that the mom put the teacher in a chokehold. Engelhardt lost consciousness for several minutes, Mestizo said.

When she was on the ground, Engelhardt was punched and kicked by several students, including McKenzie’s niece, who is 14, police say.

“A juvenile female, relative of the adult, began to punch the teacher in the head,” Hempstead Police Chief Michael McGowan told Newsday, per The New York Daily News.

McKenzie has been arraigned at Nassau County’s First District Court on Thursday. She is charged with second degree assault and strangulation. Bail has been set at $5,000.

The niece, who hasn’t been named, is charged as a minor.

Engelhardt told WABC that she has been concerned about her safety at the school for a long time.

“I’ve warned them time and again that the children have no respect for adults. Yes, I fear for my safety. They can’t control the kids.”

Mestizo says something should be done to make the school a safer place.

“Yesterday, we saw what we don’t want to see anywhere in any school,” Mestizo said. “Many teachers throughout the district and in this school also do not feel safe in the building, and there are reasons for that. And action needs to be taken immediately.”

Susan Johnson, the Hempstead Superintendent told Mestizo that the district acted on the incident swiftly, but he says she stopped short of agreeing to a wider investigation, WABC reports.

In the wake of the violent assault, Mestizo is calling for tighter security.

“Security did not ask for credentials, did not ask where she was going,” Mestizo said, per The New York Daily News. “She walked right by them.

“We have teachers saying for more than a year there’s a systemic problem with security of district buildings,” Mestizo added. “Teachers don’t feel safe. Students don’t feel safe.”

More teens may possibly face discipline, and the investigation has been handed over to Nassau County police.

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