FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – A substitute teacher from Flagler Beach was arrested after allegedly kicking a student with disabilities at Matanzas High School, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
The incident was reported Friday when the school’s assistant principal notified a school resource deputy about Bryan Schewitz, 60, of Flagler Beach.
According to the arrest report, one witness said Schewitz forcefully placed the student in a chair during a behavioral episode. The witness said he then made the student put his hands on a table and remarked, “The gloves are off.” She told deputies she believed Schewitz had handled the student too aggressively.
Another witness told investigators she saw Schewitz kick the student in the leg. She later observed a large mark on the student’s leg and questioned Schewitz about it. He allegedly responded, “He kicked me, and I kicked him. So now we’re square.”
Schewitz told deputies the student arrived late, refused to sit down and began kicking in his direction. He said he accidentally kicked the student in response. Investigators said Schewitz later gave conflicting accounts about whether he made the “square” comment.
The student’s mother later contacted deputies, reporting that skin had been removed from her child’s leg. She also provided photographs of the injury, according to the arrest report.
“It is never okay for a faculty member to strike a student, especially out of anger or frustration,” Sheriff Rick Staly said.
Flagler Schools Superintendent LaShakia Moore also addressed the allegation, saying, “This kind of behavior will not be tolerated on our campuses.”
Schewitz was charged with child abuse without great bodily harm. He was booked into the Flagler County Jail and later released on bond.
