CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — A panel of former teachers is contemplating the fate of a former Clayton County teacher who allegedly allowed students to fight in her classroom.
Last month there was a video of students boxing in Janette Bagtas’ classroom at Rex Mill Middle School.
The videos show Bagtas watching the fights. One of the videos shows her breaking up one of the fights.
When she spoke last month, she said what you can’t see on camera is her ordering students to stop and pushing her panic button for help.
The district recommended she be fired.
A Thursday hearing to determine if the district was justified in firing Bagtas, who requested the hearing herself in an effort to clear her name.
Attorneys for the district called principals and the performance review officer who recommended her termination, Wendy Edwards.
Edwards told the panel when she questioned the teacher about the fight videos, the teacher said the children chose to box for fun during their free time. She said it happened in controlled environments. She intervened when it went too far.
She went on to tell the panel that teachers are required to intervene. She said they must “give commands to stop, separate the students, seek out assistance or send someone to get help.”
She told the panel she recommended the district terminate the teacher’s contract based on two state codes: one on professionalism and one on conduct with students.
Attorneys for the school district told the panel that records show the teacher never pushed her emergency alert button.
“In the moment, I can’t say if I adequately pushed it three times or repeatedly or how many times I pushed it,” said Bagtas.
Bagtas did not have an attorney at the hearing. She admitted she is unfamiliar with the process. The panel could not provide her legal direction, so she did not end up providing her evidence and testimony.
“I feel overwhelmed like I’m in here by myself,” said Bagtas. “I feel like, ‘Is the whole district against me?’”
The panel will write up a response to the district’s recommendation. They will send that to the school board who will then decide what to do next. Once the board gets that, it will be made public.