Name calling, choking students as 'joke': Court docs detail claims against Smyrna teacher
A Smyrna High School teacher who was charged last week following a four-month investigation into allegations of abuse reportedly called students "retards" and "mentally challenged" and grabbed at least two students by their necks, court documents say.
Kanika Jackson, 40, was placed on leave when the claims were first raised in February, the school district said. She was charged with three counts of offensive touching last week.
A LinkedIn profile says she teaches math at the high school. She has been with the district for nearly 15 years, the profile says.
How did the investigation begin?
Police were made aware of at least one incident involving Jackson in early February when Smyrna High's school resource officer received a hotline report from the Delaware Division of Family Services. The report claimed that Jackson called students names and "put her hands on" teens.
Smyrna police began speaking to several students in Jackson's class, who told police that if they didn't know the material, she would call them names and tell them they were "slow at math." When one student asked a question, Jackson "wrapped her hand around her hair and pulled it," court documents say.
As police continued to investigate, they received an email that claimed Jackson referred to kids as "dumb" and "retards." It also said she singled out one student in class, "leaving the student nearly in tears," court documents say.
INITIAL STORY: Smyrna High teacher, accused of abusing students, arrested on offensive touching charges
The email also said the student worried that if the claims were brought to Jackson, the woman would "take action" against the student.
What happened?
According to several students, one of the incidents occurred on Jan. 9, when a group of students were waiting for Jackson to take a group photo. Jackson was running late for the photo and when she arrived, a student commented on her tardiness.
In response, Jackson "put her hands around her neck and lightly shook her" while asking the student to repeat what she'd said. Though the student acknowledged her teacher was joking around, she said she didn't like how Jackson had touched her.
Another student said her classmate looked "utterly terrified," adding that after the photo was taken, Jackson "ended up pinning (the student) against a wall for everyone to see."
Another incident occurred about a week later with a student who had missed two classes.
That particular day, the teen tried to ask Jackson a question because she was "very lost," she told police. Jackson initially said she couldn't help.
When the student asked again, Jackson walked up behind her, "grabbed her by the neck, choked her and shook her," court documents say.
A fellow student who witnessed the incident told police that Jackson "did it in a way to joke around, but no one took it that way."
The teen said her classmate "looked shocked," according to court documents.
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Jackson was charged with offensive touching for the reported hair pulling and the two neck incidents, police said. She was arraigned and released on her own recognizance.
Smyrna School District said in a Thursday statement it "fully cooperated with the investigation," but did not detail Jackson's employment status with the school.
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This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Smyrna teacher choked student as a 'joke,' court documents claim
