MANOR, Texas — A former elementary school teacher in the Manor Independent School District has been arrested on a charge of injury to a child following an incident in which he is accused of pinning a student against a wall by the neck, according to school officials and an arrest affidavit.
Michael Nathan, who taught English at Presidential Meadows Elementary School, was arrested after an investigation into the Aug. 25 incident, Manor ISD confirmed. He is no longer employed by the district.
According to the arrest affidavit, Nathan grabbed a student by the backpack as the child walked past him toward school buses during dismissal at approximately 2:40 p.m. He then pulled the student back into the building and pinned him against a wall, pressing his forearm across the student’s neck and chest for about 10 seconds, the affidavit states.
The student later gave a written statement to the school principal saying the encounter caused neck pain and difficulty breathing, according to the affidavit. The incident was captured on the district’s camera system, officials said.
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Manor ISD placed Nathan on administrative leave as soon as it learned of the report, according to a letter sent to families by Presidential Meadows Elementary Principal Ms. Valiza.
“When you send your child to school each day, you trust us to provide a safe environment and to hold the adults entrusted with their care to the highest standards,” Valiza said. “We take that responsibility seriously.”
The district said all Manor ISD employees undergo required criminal background checks and fingerprinting as a condition of employment.
“The safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority,” Valiza wrote. “We remain committed to maintaining a safe and supportive environment for every student in our care.”