Benjamin Reese, a 51-year-old social studies teacher in United States’ Georgia, was arrested, for allegedly threatening to kill a student who said she was “offended” by the Israeli flag hanging in the classroom. According to the incident report, Reese is said to have also stated that he would “drag the student into the parking lot and slit her throat”.
The teacher was charged with terroristic threats and cruelty to children after the student accused him of death threats.
Reese is a social studies teacher at the Warner Robins School. The matter came to light after another teacher reported that the accused was yelling at three students in a hallway on December 7.
As per Houston County Sheriff’s Office, Reese was allegedly heard hurling abuses toward the students. This was overheard by his colleagues and students who responded to the incident.
WHAT HAPPENED?
The student said to be the target of Reese’s outburst, told the authorities that she had approached her teacher about the Israeli flag in the classroom after she had noticed it while passing it. The police report stated that the student “pointed at the Israeli flag and told Reese that she had a question about it”.
She reportedly asked Reese why there was the Israeli flag hanging in the classroom, to which, he is said to have replied that he was Jewish and has family members that still live there (Israel).
As per the police report, the student told Reese that she found the flag offensive due to “Israelis killing Palestinians”. It is unclear if the student or the police official who made the report meant to write “Palestinians” in the report against the backdrop of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
As per the student, Reese then lost his temper and began to yell and approach her. She further alleged that her teacher “was trying to keep her from leaving and demanded to know who she was and who was her first-period teacher”. Moreover, other students said that they heard Reese continuing to yell as the students left the classroom and walked down the corridor.
Another incident report said that as one of the students walked back into the classroom, Reese is said to have also stated that he would drag the student into the parking lot and slit her throat.
Reese denied speaking to anyone and mentioned there was a “student that came to his classroom telling him that she found the Israeli flag offensive. He responded that she was being antisemitic”.
As per an ABC news report, “Reese was later arrested and has been released on bond.
