Latest news with #TripElementary
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Yahoo
Trip Elementary School parents feel betrayed by teacher's arrest
The Brief Brad Miller feels betrayed by the teacher and school administration, accusing them of downplaying the situation after Brian Hill's arrest for inappropriate behavior with students. Surveillance video allegedly shows Hill fondling Miller's daughter for over 5 minutes, contradicting the school's initial minimization of the incident. Miller urges other parents to come forward if they suspect their children were victims, with his attorney providing an email address for reporting concerns. GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - A Gwinnett County father is speaking out after his daughter's kindergarten teacher at Trip Elementary School was arrested earlier this month, accused of inappropriately touching students in his class. What we know Brad Miller said he feels betrayed by both the teacher and the school administration, which he believes tried to downplay the situation after 29-year-old Brian Hill was arrested May 5. Hill is charged with first-degree cruelty to children and simple battery. "It's…I don't even have words. There's no words," Miller said. What they're saying Miller's attorney, Mitch Skandalakis, said they believe Hill engaged in inappropriate behavior with Miller's daughter and other female kindergarten students since the beginning of the school year. "He was stroking her hair. He drew her close to him in an embrace. And again, this is bizarre behavior," Skandalakis said. Miller said the school first notified families in a March 31 email titled "Staffing Update," which simply stated that Hill had resigned and was being replaced. Days later, Miller said the school principal called and minimized the situation. "Oh, she just got patted on the head," Miller recalled being told. But police later contacted Miller and showed him surveillance video of the alleged incident. "He goes, grabs a chair, pulls the chair up right up on my daughter, and then proceeds to fondle her for over 5 minutes," Miller said. "Something like this should not get downplayed. An adult male touches kindergarten kids…it's just shattered. You know, all my belief and trust in the system." "The damage has been done and there's a fork in the road," Miller said. "Either you protect kids or you protect your image and the optics of all of this. And unfortunately, it feels like they took the wrong path." The other side Gwinnett County Public Schools declined to comment on specifics, citing the ongoing investigation, but said in a statement that Hill was "promptly removed from the classroom and did not return to the school" once the allegations were discovered. Police were also notified immediately, the district said. Timeline March 31 - Miller receives an email from school officials titled "staffing update." April 1 - He gets a call from the principal. May 5 - Hill was arrested. What's next Miller is urging other parents who suspect their children may have been victims to come forward. His attorney has created an email address for families seeking to report concerns. What you can do Those who believe their child may have been a victim can email justicefortripkindergarten@ The Source FOX 5's Eric Mock spoke with parents and guardians at Trip Elementary School for this article.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Yahoo
Elementary School Girl Got a Haircut So Her Teacher Wouldn't Recognize and 'Touch Her.' Now, He Faces a Child Cruelty Charge
A former elementary school teacher is accused of inappropriately touching two young female students at a school in Georgia Police said Brandon Hill rubbed the students' hair, back and shoulders on multiple occasions throughout March, and one girl even had her hair cut so the educator would 'think she wasn't in the class anymore, so as to not touch her" Hill now faces a first-degree felony child cruelty charge, as well as one count of simple batteryA Georgia teacher faces child cruelty and battery charges for allegedly touching at least two elementary school students inappropriately — including one who got a haircut in the hopes that the educator would not recognize her anymore. Brandon Hill, a teacher at Trip Elementary School in Grayson, Ga., lost his job over the alleged incidents, which occurred throughout March, according to Atlanta's ABC affiliate WSB-TV. In an arrest affidavit obtained by WSB-TV, police state that Hill, 29, rubbed the hair, head, back and shoulders of a female student on six different occasions. The teacher allegedly told her 'not to use her voice' and that it 'was quiet time while he was touching her," police said. The student even had her hair cut, so Hill would 'think she wasn't in the class anymore, so as to not touch her,' the affidavit states. Another student also accused the teacher of stroking her hair and rubbing her back and shoulders on multiple occasions, per a second affidavit, which also states that the student attempted to stand up for herself. "The victim told him to stop on several different occasions,' police said. 'However, the accused didn't stop stroking the victim's hair when told to stop by the victim.' Hill was arrested and charged with a first-degree felony child cruelty charge, as well as one count of simple battery, a misdemeanor, WSB-TV reported. He was charged with child cruelty because, one affidavit states, he 'maliciously' caused one of the underage victims 'cruel or excessive physical pain or excessive mental pain.' Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. In a statement to WSB-TV, a spokesperson for Gwinnett County Public Schools said, 'The safety and well-being of our students and staff is — and will always be — the district's top priority. As soon as we became aware of the allegations, we acted swiftly and followed all state and district-mandated protocols.' The spokesperson also stated that following the allegations, Hill 'was promptly removed from the classroom and did not return to the school.' The Gwinnett County Police Department and Gwinnett County Schools Police Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment, nor did Gwinnett County Public Schools. It is not immediately clear if Hill has retained legal representation to comment on his behalf. According to WSB-TV, Hill was released after posting a $6,000 bond and is currently awaiting his first court appearance. If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages. Read the original article on People
