Student Arrested, Asst. Principal On Leave Following OKCPS Assault

An assault at a Spencer middle school landed a 12-year-old girl behind bars and has placed an assistant principal under investigation.

The Oklahoma City Public School District says a Rogers Middle School administrator is off the job with pay during an internal investigation. The student's family says it all started with an argument over a lunch tray and some back talk. It ended with police and nine days in a juvenile detention center for the student.

"As my daughter is struggling with [the assistant principal], she takes [my daughter] and slams her on the ground," the girl's mom told News 9.

The middle school student's family members did not want their faces on camera, but said they can't stay quiet any longer. For a week, the child's mom says she didn't know who to believe until the district allowed her to see surveillance video.

"What I [saw] in the video matched my daughter's story," the mom said. "I [saw] the assistant principal grabbing my daughter by the neck."

Mom says you never see her daughter strike assistant principal Winston, but police arrested the girl for assault and battery. The district is not releasing the video to News 9. In a statement, the district says:

"The Oklahoma City Public School District administration is investigating an incident involving Rogers Middle School assistant principal Elsie Winston and [a] seventh grade student at the school. Ms. Winston has been placed on administrative leave during the internal investigation. Because this is a personnel matter the district cannot disclose further details."

"Why is my grandbaby … charged with something," asked the child's grandma. "Why [isn't] Ms. Winston charged with something."

The family admits the 12-year-old talked back to Winston over putting up a lunch tray, but they say getting physical was not the answer. As for the community, people are taking sides … even through a sign on private property saying the community supports Ms. Winston.

"Let's watch the video and let the community decide off the video," the mom said.

The girl was suspended on September 16 and has not been back to school since.