Altercation between a student and a Tulsa teacher sends student to the hospital

A Clinton Middle School student in Tulsa is in the hospital after a physical altercation with a teacher. <br/><br/>Tulsa Police were called to Clinton Middle School Thursday afternoon. Police say the

Friday, February 3rd 2006, 10:44 am

By: News On 6

A Clinton Middle School student in Tulsa is in the hospital after a physical altercation with a teacher.

Tulsa Police were called to Clinton Middle School Thursday afternoon. Police say the teacher, 38-year-old Mark French told them the 7th grader was disobeying and acting out. They say he told them he sent the girl out of the classroom and that's when the altercation happened, in the hallway.

Tulsa Police say the teacher grabbed the girl by the throat and threw her to the floor. They say the girl was bleeding from the ear.

The 13 year old girl is now in fair condition. Family attorney Steven Novick: "well the fact that she was in the hospital yesterday tells me it was a serious injury. The details of how it happened, I just don't have that information."

Tulsa Police say French told them he thought the girl was going to hit him. Tulsa Public Schools suspended French with pay, until the police investigation is complete.

The Tulsa Public School district also says itâ€™s pretty rare for a teacher to be involved in any kind of a fight with a student.

The last incident they could recall was several years ago. It involved a Hale High School teacher who was breaking up a fight among students. In that situation the teacher was injured and so was a student.