EVANS, Colo. — Police are investigating a reported incident of a teacher taping a middle school student to a chair.
The Evans Police Department said cellphone video shows a teacher at Prairie Heights Middle School taping a 7th-grade student to a chair.
“In the video, a male student is seen sitting in a chair and a teacher is taping the child to the chair.The tape was wrapped several times around the child’s torso and thighs.The teacher is also seen putting tape on the child’s mouth, which the child immediately removed,” EPD said in a statement early Thursday evening.
Police said the teacher’s actions were likely “punitive” based on the information they have received.
“We were made aware of a situation where a student was potentially mistreated in the classroom,” Evans Police Chief Rick Brandt said. “The school notified one of our officers of the alleged incident and we immediately launched an investigation. The video was alarming and gave us reason to probe the situation further.”
The incident remains under investigation. No charges have been filed. EPD did not release the cellphone video.
The Greeley-Evans School District (Weld County District 6) sent the following statement to FOX31 and Channel 2:
“We are working closely with the Evans Police Department. The teacher has been placed on paid [administrative] leave pending the outcome of the [investigation].”
Evans is located just south of Greeley in Weld County.