UPDATE: 5p.m. 4-17-23
MESQUITE (WBAP/KLIF) – The Mesquite Police Department said on Monday that the substitute teacher seen on video encouraging middle school students to fight was arrested.
24-year-old Natally Garcia is facing four counts of Injury to a Child, after Police say she subjected them to danger.
Mesquite, TX (WBAP/KLIF) – The Mesquite Police Department is investigating a now-former substitute teacher at Mesquite Independent School District after reportedly encouraging students to fight in class last week.
The district says that Natally Garcia who was hired on March 6, was fired after an investigation in which she admitted to her actions at Kimbrough Middle School last Wednesday afternoon; and, to providing instructional materials on how to fight.
On video Garcia is allegedly heard telling [someone], “Stand by the door in case someone comes in,” and for students to put their phones away as she threatens to take them.
In a statement, the district says that Garcia is not eligible for rehire in any capacity:
“Our investigation revealed that this substitute teacher encouraged students to fight each other during class, outlined rules for the students to follow and even instructed a student to monitor the classroom door while the fights took place.” The district said, “Her actions are appalling and intolerable.”
A 13-year old student who captured video is now receiving death threats. Her mother Beatrice Martinez telling WFAA-TV that she’s not going to wait around for her daughter to be killed. She called the video is “disgusting and unacceptable,” and said that it made her sick.
Martinez says the teacher needs to be arrested and that she won’t stop until she is.
See the video here:
(Copyright 2023 WBAP/KLIF 24/7 News. This report contains material from WFAA-TV.)