Lehman HS student suffered brain injury during assault by substitute teacher caught on camera

Lehman High School teacher fight

A Hays CISD substitute teacher has been arrested and charged with aggravated assault after a disturbing video shows her beating a student in class.

KYLE, Texas - The unnerving video has been gone viral on social media.

Authorities said substitute teacher Tiffani Lankford is seen punching a student repeatedly and then stomping on her head.

Shea Rhames' daughter was in the room that day. “She said the teacher came in and was being aggressive and cussing. She told everybody to shut the f*** up. At that point the other student said something along the lines of "make me" and that's when the teacher went toward the student and aggressed her,” said Rhames.

Her daughter took this video, which shows the teacher making some kind of contact with the student before the girl slaps back. “She said the teacher choked the student first and that is when the student went to push the teacher away,” said Rhames.

Lankford was arrested onsite...and charged with aggravated assault. “I've been in education for over 30 years and I've never seen anything like this happen. There's nothing that a kid could do that would justify that type of action,” said Dr. Eric Wright, superintendent at Hays CISD.

Lankford had just started with the district, only subbing for 18 days before this happened.

“The funny thing is she came with great recommendations and she was highly sought after,” said Wright.

An attorney for the family says an investigation revealed Lankford had a prior domestic violence arrest back in 2014, however they don't know what came of that case. The district says they use a highly vetted background check system. “I don't know where that's coming from because obviously if that had shown up on any of her background, we wouldn't have hired her,” said Wright.

“This is truly an anomaly and it's out of character for what we expect to happen in Hays CISD,” said Wright.

Governor Greg Abbott chimed in on the case and said the Texas Education Agency will be investigating the district.

“No matter what a child does...absolutely no matter what, you have no right to put your hands on them,” said Rhames.

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