MARION COUNTY, Fla. – Marion County Schools Superintendent Heidi Maier is pushing for the termination of Greenway Elementary teacher Richard Collins after allegations he didn't properly assist a student after she was hurt in the classroom.
The recommendation for his termination comes after an incident, reported on Oct. 2, in which a student was injured.
The school report says Collins was working with a small group of students at a table while other students in the classroom were not being properly supervised.
The other group of students began playing a game, described as a student sitting on a table while another student tried to grab the legs of that student and pull them off the top of the table.
The report states during the game, one student fell while trying to be pulled off the table prompting her to hit her head.
The filing says the student began to cry and complained that she couldn't see. Collins reportedly yelled at the student and told her to stop crying and sent all the students outside for recess.
The injured student reportedly came in from recess and began to vomit.
She was taken to the school health clinic, where the clinic assistant reported a bruise and red mark measuring about 3 inches on the child's face. EMS was called and the student was taken to a local hospital.
Collins provided a written statement of the incident but the report says he didn't initially make note of the "horse play" occurring in his classroom that resulted in the student's injury.
This isn't the first time Collins has been on the radar with the school board.
According to the report, in 2011 Collins was given a written reprimand for insubordination and disrespect toward administration.
In 2016, he received another written reprimand for sexual comments towards colleagues and in May of 2017, Collins was suspended for five days for inappropriate actions with students.
Collins received the letter with a recommendation for his termination on Oct. 17. His attorney, Mark Hermad, responded Oct. 25 to the school board noting they will fight the recommendation and dispute the allegations.
Hermad said his client requests reinstatement of his position with full back pay and benefits.