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Taunted teacher did not know video was posted online

Posted at 9:51 PM, Oct 07, 2016
and last updated 2016-10-07 23:01:44-04

RICHMOND, Va. -- Barry Farmer shook his head as he watched cell phone video captured inside George Wythe High School in Richmond.

The video showed a teacher pushed to his limit by students.

The teacher stormed out of his classroom, the video showed. Students behind him are laughing, joking, and filming.

The teacher eventually erupts and tells the students he "does not come to work expecting to be threatened.  I don’t deserve it."

"I have been threatened multiple times," the teacher yelled. "I don't come here to put my life in danger from other people's nonsense."

The video, shared on social media, caught Farmer’s eye.

"Clear frustration and no control,” Farmer said. "It’s not just at that school, that’s what I want you to know, it’s probably in multiple schools that experience what this teacher is experiencing and more frustrated educators."

Farmer would know.

Between 2008 and 2013, he worked as a behavioral counselor inside Richmond Public Schools.

"I’ve seen educators experience this, I’ve talked them through it," Farmer said.

Richmond School Board member Kim Gray told CBS 6 the outburst, and other more violent school-related incidents, can be linked to gang activity.

She said gang activity has even spilled into the middle and elementary schools.

Farmer said he believed no amount of school budget money would help the situation.

"This is not a money issue, this is a community issue,” Farmer said.

Yet, despite the video, he said he believed there was still hope for Richmond Public Schools.

"[Richmond Schools] can turn it around, but they have to have better strategies," Farmer said.

Reached via email, the teacher in the video  said he was unaware the clip was posted online.

He did not want to comment, but said he wished it had never happened.

Richmond Public School leaders said they were continuing to investigate this incident.

Details about the threats the teacher mentioned in the video have not yet been released.

"This incident is a personnel matter and is being resolved in accordance with the district's human resources procedures," Richmond Schools spokeswoman Kenita Bowers said.

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