A special education teacher in Baytown has been arrested Monday for throwing a special needs autistic student to the ground causing a bloody nose, according to charging documents.
According to the charging documents, the Goose Creek CISD police department was dispatched to Antonio Bañuelos Elementary on May 3 for a report of a teacher, Shaq Alvarez Morales, who had assaulted a student. Morales is a special needs teacher at Banuelos Elementary School.
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On April 18, the teacher’s aide in Morales’s classroom had stepped out for a bit when the incident occurred. When the aide returned, she saw the student had a bloody nose and was crying. The aide wanted to take the student to the nurse but according to court documents Morales said the student was fine.
Morales told the aide that the student was running around the classroom and had fallen and hit his face on the floor. When the aide returned to school the following Monday, the student’s face was visibly bruised. The teacher’s aide took photos of the student’s bruised face and shared their concerns to the school’s counselor on April 30.
The incident was reported to the school’s principal on May 1. An investigation began and school officials accessed video footage since the classroom is equipped with cameras.
The footage showed the student sitting at a table in the classroom but got out of their chair with a dry-erase whiteboard and began walking around. According to court documents, the video shows Morales telling the student to put up the whiteboard, which the student is seen throwing on the ground a short distance. As Morales walks up behind the student, video shows him him grabbing the child’s arm and lifting him before throwing him to the floor, where the student hits his face, and begins to cry.
The affidavit says that Morales did not check on the student or offer him any assistance for his injuries before picking up some items and returning to his desk.
Morales has since been charged with injury to a child - serious bodily injury and is currently being held in custody on a $40,000 bond.
Goose Creek CISD released the following statement to KPRC 2:
Goose Creek CISD acknowledges the arrest of a former special education teacher, Shaq Morales, in connection with an incident involving a student. Upon receiving notice of this concern, the campus administration promptly removed Mr. Morales from his teaching duties, initiated an investigation, and notified law enforcement, resulting in Mr. Morales’ separation from employment. Despite his resignation and absence from campus, the District continues to fully cooperate with law enforcement. Due to the ongoing nature of the investigation and the confidentiality surrounding personnel and student matters, we are unable to provide further details. Goose Creek CISD places utmost importance on student safety and remains dedicated to ensuring a secure and nurturing learning environment for all students.