NEW YORK (WCBS) – A New York middle school dean is no longer allowed to interact with students after being accused of choking one of them.
Authorities say the reported incident involved Elvin Ventura, 53, the dean at Charles O. Dewey Middle School, and a 13-year-old student.
Police said the situation started during lunchtime in the school’s cafeteria on Thursday. Ventura instructed the student to change into his uniform, but the student refused, and an argument ensued.
“I looked over and saw the dean had the child in a chokehold,” student Poseidon Agueda said.
The criminal complaint alleges Ventura pushed the student with his hands, wrapped his arms around the student’s neck and applied pressure.
“I was pretty scared. I didn’t know what was going to happen next,” Agueda said.
According to Agueda, a teacher had to break the confrontation up.
The complaint alleges the student involved suffered substantial pain in his neck.
Ventura was arrested and is facing charges that include assaulting and endangering the welfare of a child.
A spokesman for the city’s Department of Education called the behavior unacceptable.
City officials said the employee has since been reassigned pending the outcome of the investigation, and if convicted, it would pursue his termination.
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