In Rockdale County, tensions continue to mount between the school district and several families after allegations surfaced of teachers assaulting students. In one of the recent incidents, Danielle Offett says her 13-year-old son, Malachi Sherman, was repeatedly hit by his former Teacher of the Year, Melvin McClain, at Conyers Middle School on December 1. A FOX5 Atlanta report reveals that school surveillance shows the educator striking the boy close to 20 times, leading to child cruelty and simple battery charges against McClain.
Offett expressed her concerns at a news conference, saying, “The teachers are there to teach. They are there to protect our children, our children to feel safe when they leave our home. But right now, I don’t feel that way,” as reported by FOX5 Atlanta. Meanwhile, the attorney representing Offett and other families alleging abuse, Kianna Chennault, insists that the issues hint towards a systemic failure in Rockdale County Public Schools and insufficient transparency and oversight in the district.
Another family represented by Chennault, Yamaya Lyes, reported that her nonverbal son Antonio was physically and verbally abused by a paraprofessional last year. According to an Atlanta News First article, Lyes spoke about the trauma her eight-year-old son endured, which included being manhandled and choked. After these incidents, the district settled with the families, but Lyes and others are demanding widespread changes, including hiring accountability and regular mental health evaluations for teachers…