Tavares, Florida — A 66-year-old teaching assistant is facing criminal charges after authorities alleged that he physically assaulted a student with special needs at a Florida high school, striking the student with his own shoe and dragging him along the floor by his feet.
Michael Anthony Jones was arrested after an alleged altercation at East Ridge High School on the morning of October 14. According to court records, he faces one count of cruelty toward a child by child abuse without great bodily harm and one count of simple battery.
The incident reportedly came to light after another student showed a school resource deputy a cellphone video allegedly capturing part of the confrontation. School surveillance footage also documented portions of the encounter, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Cellphone Video Allegedly Captured the School Altercation
According to the affidavit, a student approached a Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputy assigned to the school and showed him a cellphone recording that allegedly depicted Jones involved in a physical altercation with another student.
The school’s assistant principal subsequently provided surveillance footage from the campus gymnasium area.
The school video reportedly showed Jones and the student walking toward a doorway. Both briefly disappeared from the camera’s view before the student was seen falling backward away from the doorway.
The surveillance camera then lost sight of the pair, leaving a gap in the recorded sequence of events.
However, investigators obtained a cellphone video recorded by another student that allegedly captured what happened outside the school camera’s view.
Student Allegedly Struck and Dragged Across the Floor
According to the probable cause affidavit, the cellphone footage showed the student getting back up and appearing to cower before Jones.
Jones allegedly struck the student again, causing him to fall to the ground. The affidavit further states that Jones appeared to grab the student and drag him up from the floor a second time.
Authorities also alleged that Jones used the student’s own shoe to strike him repeatedly and dragged the student along the floor by his feet.
The allegations form part of the criminal investigation into the incident. The charges and descriptions in the affidavit represent claims made by investigators and have not been established as facts through a criminal conviction.
The incident has raised concerns about the treatment and protection of students with special needs in school settings, particularly when they depend on staff members for supervision and support.
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What Did the Teaching Assistant Tell Deputies?
During an interview with deputies, Jones allegedly disputed parts of the account of the incident.
According to the affidavit, he denied punching or pushing the student after the student had gotten back up. He reportedly said he “may have touched” the student, causing him to fall backward.
Investigators also asked Jones whether he knew the student had special needs. According to the affidavit, Jones responded, “all of them that we work with is special needs, but he understands what’s going on.”
The statement was included in the account of the investigation. Authorities have not established Jones’s guilt in court, and the allegations remain subject to the legal process.
Florida School District Considers Further Action
Lake County Schools told local news outlets that Jones would not be permitted to return to campus. The district also indicated that he could be terminated at an upcoming school board meeting.
Jones had worked for the district since 2008, according to a report The district issued Jones a written reprimand in 2017 for using inappropriate language in front of students.
The district’s response could determine whether Jones retains his employment, separate from the criminal proceedings. Officials have not provided a final employment decision in the information available from the reports.
Jones Released on Bond After Arrest
Following his arrest, Jones was booked into the Lake County Jail. Jail records show that he posted $11,000 bond and was released Thursday afternoon.
It was not immediately clear when he was next scheduled to appear in court.
The case involves allegations of physical abuse against a student who had special needs, with investigators relying on both school surveillance footage and a cellphone recording provided by another student.
As the legal process moves forward, the allegations, the video evidence and the school district’s response are likely to remain central to the case.
What steps do you believe schools should take to protect students with special needs and ensure staff members are held accountable for alleged abuse? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
