The misdemeanor assault charges filed against a staff member of the Dallas Independent School District during an in-school incident have been dismissed.
An incident that occurred between a staff member and a student last April at a DISD campus continues to stir up considerable controversy. Marcel Brooks, a hall monitor and coach formerly employed at Justin F. Kimball High School, was arrested on April 14, 2023, after a video taken of an alleged altercation with a student circulated on social media. Brooks can be seen pushing the student against the wall and striking him, knocking him to the ground.
While the clip caused an uproar among students, parents, and district officials, Brooks claims that it has been edited and does not accurately depict what occurred that day between himself and the 17-year-old.
“This is really something I didn’t want to happen. It’s painting a bad image of myself and the school I graduated from,” he said, according to WFAA. “Working at my alma mater has been a blessing. I’m not the guy that’s being painted on social media.”
Brooks is being represented by attorneys from the Dallas-based firm Wyde & Associates, who claim that he had been acting in self-defense. Kimball allegedly has been the site of youth gang violence.
“We understand that some of the kids are bad and they get out of hand, and I’m not going to deny that at all. I’ve spent time in the classroom. I do understand that. But, as an adult, we have to be smarter,” said Bobby Higgs, who is the grandfather of a Kimball student, according to WFAA.
Over the past year there have been other incidents between North Texas school employees and students generating controversy. For instance, as covered in The Dallas Express last May, another video showing a school resource officer tackling a 15-year-old female student at North Garland High School during an allegedly large fight piqued public concern.
Other scandals involving school employees and students have involved sexual misconduct, with allegations made against a former athletic director at Dallas ISD, a former school resource officer at Frisco ISD, and more.