NEW ORLEANS – The battle continues for one Ponchatoula Junior High teacher. Wednesday morning, Arthur “Rusty” Barilleaux went to court in Tangipahoa parish fighting to get his job back.
Barilleaux and another teacher, Brett Chatelain, were fired after a controversial video of the two breaking up a fight surfaced. A reinstatement hearing was held at the Amite courthouse.
Some people are hoping both teachers will be reinstated. Others, aren’t too happy about the possibility. “It was wrong the way those guys done that young girl” concerned citizen, Larry Hollend told WGNO. “That guys tryna get his job back now this guys got to weigh like 250-260. Then, one man already had the little girl down with his knee in her chest which i think was wrong cause they could have crushed her chest, really.”
Wednesday morning, several people were called to the stand including superintendent, Melissa Stilly. Stilly says she’s been a part of the educational field for 32 years and she’s never “seen teachers behave like that.”
The superintendent says, firing the teachers was appropriate “because of their threats and use of language.”
Earlier this week, some teachers walked off the job in protest, saying there is no clear cut policy from the school system on how teachers should break up fights involving students.
The hearing is set to continue next week.