Teacher resigns after video shows her duct taping student in class

By Madison Bennett | MLive

BANGOR, MI - Controversy continues in Bangor Public Schools over the behavior of teachers.

This time, it involves video of a teacher wrapping duct tape around a Bangor High School student as he sat in a chair in class.

According to Bangor Police Chief Tommy Simpson, a 16-year-old male student approached Bangor police officers about the incident Monday, Feb. 15 at a school board meeting while the board met in closed session.

He said police interviewed the teacher and she admitted to duct taping the student as he sat in his chair.

"A teacher took duct tape on a 16-year-old who was talking on his upper arms and upper chest," Simpson said. He said the teacher said it was done in a joking manner, but that she later later resigned from her job.

Simpson said the school district is also investigating the incident. Robert Huber, attorney for the school district, said Wednesday that he could not comment on the matter.

Meanwhile, a Bangor Public Schools teacher has resigned due to a separate videotaped incident, Huber said.

A video posted to YouTube apparently recorded at a bar by someone at a nearby table shows teachers and a school district secretary naming colleagues and playing a game choosing which they would rather marry, kill or have sex with. Parents complained about the video at Monday's school board meeting, claiming some in the group were recorded having inappropriate conversations about special-needs students. Huber said, however, that it was determined the discussion was not about students.

Two teachers received written reprimands, while the other four others, who were determined to not have been taking part in the game, were given verbal reprimands, according to Huber. The secretary resigned her position with the district.

Asked Wednesday if the teacher who resigned over the duct tape incident was also among the teachers reprimanded for the incident at the bar, Simpson replied "no comment."

The police chief said an investigation his department opened into the incident at the bar, at the request of Bangor parents a person whose name could be heard in the recording, is continuing.

"We're going to finish up our part and forward it to the prosecutor to see if any laws have been broken," Simpson said.

He said the police department has already forwarded its findings on the duct tape matter to the county prosecutor's office for review. 

This post originally appeared Feb. 15, 2017 on MLive.com.