East Texas

By KENNETH DEAN
Staff Writer

VAN — Parents and children were shocked when an elementary teacher and another woman got into a fist fight Saturday morning at a Little Dribbler’s basketball game.

Van Police Chief Kelly Smith said he had an arrest warrant for Jeannette Hughes, a first-grade teacher at Rhodes Elementary.

Smith would not divulge much of the investigation, but did say Ms. Hughes would be arrested for assault.

“Yes, there will be an arrest made,” he told the Tyler Paper today.

The newspaper began looking into the incident after receiving phone calls about the fight that occurred in the school gymnasium.

“She was punching the other woman in front of everyone, including her own kids,” said one woman who did not want to be identified.

The newspaper attempted to obtain an arrest affidavit, but the judge who signed the warrant said Ms. Hughes had not been arrested as of 4:30 p.m. Monday and he could not release the requested information until an arrest was made.

The victim said during a conversation on the telephone that she suffered multiple blows to the head and was treated at a hospital.

“She hit me so many times in the head,” said the woman, who substitutes at the school.

The victim said her face was swollen and she was not feeling well. She added she would speak to the newspaper in greater detail in the coming days.

Independent School District Superintendent Joddie Witte said the incident was unacceptable.

“I’ve been told they had some type of disagreement with a little shoving going on, and then Ms. Hughes hit the other woman,” he said.

Witte said an investigation into the incident would be conducted by the school district before any decisions would be made regarding the woman’s employment with the school.

He added that Ms. Hughes is in her first year with the school district, and that teachers need to understand they are held to a higher standard as they are charged with educating our children.

He expressed disdain at one of his employees fighting in front of children.

“I can’t imagine any justification for it, and as a professional you have to be above that type of behavior,” he said.

Van ISD Superintendent Joddie Witte expressed concern about the alleged assault that occurred Saturday during a basketball game in a Van ISD facility.
(Staff photo by Jaime R. Carrero)