On August 2021, when a female student brought a gun to school, everyone was petrified that their lives could end at any moment. Nevertheless, a heroic teacher went up to the pupil and restrained her before anyone could get hurt. The occurrence started when ex-Coach Kenneth Miller got a video displaying firearms on Tri-Cities High School premises and realized that he had to do something before someone did get killed or injured.
Miller told Fox News that school officials had learned that the pupil was “planning on doing something,” and the school left to go outside for a pep rally. That’s when the high school principal asked Miller to look into the student in question and see whether she was armed and dangerous as feared.
Although Miller’s actions may have saved lives, his suspension from work raises the possibility that he will never be able to teach again.
According to the teacher’s attorney, Allen Lightcap, Miller approached the student and began asking questions when she started attacking. When fighting erupted between them, Miller gained the upper hand and restrained the student. Shortly after their scuffle, Miller discovered the gun that had been brought to school by the student.
The officer’s body camera footage revealed the fight. In the video, you can see Miller walking up to the student and getting hit by her. He then pushes her against a wall and holds her there until the police show up and take over.
“Coach Miller is the reason all of metro Atlanta does not know the date of August 20, 2021,” Lightcap stated. “That’s because he averted another tragic school shooting that day, and no one was hurt. Everyone went home safe. Coach Miller is the reason these guns were found.”
The Fulton County School District filed a termination complaint against Miller after he restrained a student. According to the school district, Miller “failed to meet the professional expectations it has for employees.”
“Mr. Miller acted outside of the scope of his authority and responsibilities,” the statement said. “Mr. Miller’s conduct resulted in an escalation of a physical altercation with a student in crisis, which conflicts with district expectations to de-escalate in these types of situations.”
Now, Miller’s attorney is claiming that his client was defending himself and therefore acted lawfully.
“This is especially true when guns are involved,” Lightcap said. “Teachers should not be terminated or suspended when it’s clear they were defending themselves.”
District officials had initially set up a termination hearing, but later “abruptly canceled by the District without Coach Miller’s consent” and changed their charge to suspension.
“Now that the district has changed its charge to a suspension mid-trial, Coach Miller no longer gets to call witnesses so that the truth can come out,” Lightcap stated.
