Miramar Teacher Accused Of Using Tape To Silence Student

MIRAMAR (CBS4) - A Miramar teacher is accused of silencing a chatty student by taping her mouth shut with packaging tape.

Leah Freel said she was outraged when her 13-year-old daughter, Jazlyn Freel, came home to tell her this on Thursday of last week.

"(The teacher) told her, 'Jazz, since you're the loudest one come up here'," said Leah Freel. "'You're either gonna have tape on your mouth or get sent to another teacher's classroom'."

She said the incident happened after several students in the classroom failed to quiet down when asked.

Freel said the seventh grade science teacher at New Renaissance Middle School put the tape over both Jazlyn and another student's mouth.

"I think the teacher crossed the line," said Leah Freel.  "You could have excused her from class to the office. You could have called me."

Freel said she does not condone her daughter's behavior and has punished her for talking in class. But she also wants to make sure the teacher is punished.

"I just want to see some form of action taken against this teacher for what I deem as a parent of not being good," she said.

The teacher and principal were not at school Monday afternoon when CBS4 News stopped in for comment.

A spokeswoman for the Broward School District said the matter is under investigation. Both the school and the office of professional standards are looking into it.

At this point the teacher has not been reassigned or punished in any way.