WARNER ROBINS, Ga. – A Georgia middle school teacher is no longer working at Warner Robins Middle School after he allegedly threatened to cut off the head of a student who objected to him flying the Israeli flag in his classroom.
Benjamin Reese, 51, a seventh grade social studies teacher, was arrested December 8 after several witnesses told police they overheard him shouting expletives around students and threatening to behead a 13-year-old student, reports WMAZ.
The outburst, which occurred the day before, was allegedly prompted when a student, who was referring to the current Israel/Hamas conflict, told Reese she found the flag offensive because Israelis were killing Palestinians, reports Fox5 Atlanta. Reese told the student she was being antisemitic.
Additionally, according to WMAZ, Reese specifically said:
“You motherf*****g piece of s**t! I’ll kick your a**. I should cut your motherf*****g head off.”
Witnesses also said they heard him threaten “he would kick her f*****g a**, slit her god***n throat and drag her a** outside and cut her head off.”
The witnesses who saw the incident included other teachers, staff members, and students.
Reese faces charges of making terroristic threats and cruelty to children in the third degree, reports CNN. The school also immediately barred him from campus. He’s currently out on $7,500 bond.
Additionally, he may have his teaching certification suspended or revoked.
The parents of the 13-year-old who was threatened, Lina and Alaa Afifi, acknowledged that swift action was taken by school officials after Reese’s threats to their daughter. However, they said the school did not tell them the full extent of the threats made by him. Instead, they learned the details from the media, reports WSB. They said that Reese came very close to her during the incident.
The girl’s parents said they want to be fully informed by campus officials when their child is threatened.
