A Stockton, Calif., teacher and high school student were unknowingly recorded after the pair got into a fight which knocked the student to the floor last week.
The student, Marlina Martinez, was allegedly angry after her math teacher took her makeup away because she was applying it during math class. Martinez immediately called her mother on her cell phone to ask her mother to speak with the teacher and demand the teacher return her makeup. That’s when the math teacher reportedly took Martinez’ cell phone away as well, which escalated the conflict.
Unbeknownst to the student and teacher, another student caught the altercation on their cell phone camera and posted it to their Facebook page, where it went viral. In the video, Martinez and the teacher are shown pushing each other and throwing punches at each other. Eventually, Martinez winds up on the floor.
Since the video went pubic, Martinez has been suspended, although she claims the teacher was the instigator and aggressor. The teacher has also been placed on administrative leave while the Stockton Unified School District investigates the incident.
USD spokesperson Dianne Barth called the incident “regrettable” and said they’re still trying to piece together what happened since the video doesn’t make it clear.
“I’m not sure what happened. I can’t even tell by looking at the video what happened once the initial pushing started. I don’t know,” Barth told the media.