LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – An autism teacher with CCSD is accused of abusing a student at a Las Vegas middle school.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department started their investigation responding to a possible battery on Sept. 20 at Dr. William Bob H. Bailey Middle School.
When officers arrived, they were flagged by the assistant principal who said a non-verbal, special needs student screamed in the hallway. She said Kenneth Greenberg told the student “the bus wouldn’t take him if he kept screaming.”
In the hallway, surveillance video would capture the 63-year-old stepping in front of the child, blocking him and putting his hand on the student’s chest while pointing at an exit.
Metro interviewed two witnesses who claim they saw Greenberg shove the student with both hands during dismissal. The witnesses say the student nearly lost his balance and almost fell to the ground.
One of the witnesses told police Greenberg walked away when confronted about the incident.
In another interview, police learned the student’s behavior only started this year. Recently, he would come home visibly upset.
On Sept. 24, police interviewed Greenberg. He told police he never shoved the student, but would instead give a “bear hug” when the student would get a aggressive.
Greenberg “bear hugged” the student after dismissal because he was acting “irritable” and wanted to prevent both of them from getting harmed further.
Greenberg also told police that he was dealing with “significant stress” because of his wife’s recent cancer diagnosis.
Because Greenberg used force upon the student, he was booked into the Clark County Detention Center on one count of abuse.
While getting booked, Greenberg told police, “I wish you would just shoot me now. I can’t do this. Just end it.”
Greenberg is due for a status check in court on Jan. 30. He has not posted bail.
He has been employed by the district since Aug. 2016. He has been placed on leave according to a negotiated agreement.
Editor’s note: CCSD first reported to FOX5 that Kenneth’s last name is spelled Greenburg. FOX5 is reporting based off of LVMPD’s arrest report, spelling it as Greenberg.
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