OKCPS teacher arrested after student injured in classroom

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — A John Marshall Enterprise Middle School teacher is on paid leave, facing allegations of aggravated assault and battery, after horseplay in the classroom sent a student to the hospital. 

Court records detail the allegations against 41-year-old Kiera Smith. On Nov. 21, Smith was allegedly “play fighting” with a 13-year–old student during a social studies class. That’s when court documents say the victim, who is another 13-year-old student, got up and tapped Smith on her arm. 

“Smith turned and grabbed [the] victim lifting him off the ground and slammed him to the ground. This caused the victim to break his collarbone,” read the court documents. 

The documents went on to say, while videos show the victim on the ground defenseless and in pain, “Smith comes over to [the] victim and stands over top of him and raises both her arms up and looks down at him and says loudly, ‘anything else!’” 

Smith then allegedly went back to her desk. 

The teen was taken to the hospital. His collarbone is broken and he was placed in a sling. 

The court records say Smith downplayed the ordeal to investigators, saying she “Often ‘play fights’ the students at school” and said, “We really don’t play around with [the] victim. He just took it upon himself to join in.”  

According to the documents, Smith claimed the student was able to move his arm and fingers and went back to work. However, investigators say cell phone video evidence proves that isn’t true. 

Smith was arrested on Tuesday and booked into the Oklahoma County Jail for aggravated assault and battery. 

Her bond is set at $50,000. 

This is not the first time Smith’s been arrested. In 2018, when she was a teacher at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary school, she was charged with sexual battery against a fellow teacher. 

Oklahoma City Public Schools sent KFOR the following statement on Wednesday: 

“On November 26, OKCPS was made aware of the arrest of Kiera Monique Smith, a teacher at John Marshall Enterprise Middle School. As is routine in these situations, Ms. Smith has been placed on Administrative Leave. 

The district is cooperating with law enforcement and is also conducting a full internal administrative investigation related to this case. As always, the safety and security of our students and staff is our number one priority.

Because this is a personnel matter, we cannot provide further comment at this time. Inquiries related to this case and/or charges should be directed to the OKC Police.”