A teacher has resigned in disgrace after taping a 11-year-old student's mouth shut to try and stop him talking.
Distressed Brady sent his mum Catherine Webster a selfie after his teacher covered his mouth with tape at Smithfield Middle School in North Carolina, US, on February 13.
She was left furious at the picture, and thought he had been attacked by bullies.
Catherine said: "I asked, ‘What is that? Who did that? “And, he didn’t respond. I showed the pic to [the] principal [and] she took us into her office.”
She told the school's headteacher LaShunda Faison her child was left "humiliated" by his teacher's actions.
An investigation into the teacher revealed the teacher had subjected other pupils to the mouth-taping earlier this year including taping students' wrists together.
Catherine revealed Brady didn't bring up the mouth-taping incidents as he didn't want to question his teacher.
Although she acknowledges her son be can disruptive sometimes the mum tries her best to discipline him.
She said: "[He also] has a tendency to clown around and be disruptive and talk too much.
"I'm a reasonable person and a fairly strict parent with no tolerance for disrespect and an understanding that teachers do not have time for repetitive disruption, so I also discipline Brady at home when this happens.'
Johnston County Public Schools confirmed the teacher, who was hired in August 2022, resigned on February 17 after Brady sent a selfie of him to his mum.
In a statement the school said: “We can confirm that whenever such allegations arise, our administration responds swiftly, by investigating the allegations, and sometimes, by removing staff from classrooms pending completion of a thorough investigation.
"School administrators are always able and willing to speak with any and all parents who may have concerns regarding any issue that occurs.”
Catherine revealed the teacher can longer work in the county following the troubling incident.
She wrote on Facebook: "The teacher, whose contract was damaged from this incident, will be returning to her country since she can no longer teach here.
"I do not know what kind of disciplinary action it takes to disqualify them from remaining in these contracts, but I do regret that she will not be made an example of."
Brady's mum is still demanding answers from the school following the incident.
She said: “Just because Brady didn’t get hurt doesn’t make this less serious. I want to know who is going to be held accountable, so this doesn’t happen again. "
The county sheriff’s office has investigated the claims, along with other parents who have shared similar experiences, but there is not enough evidence to bring a criminal case, according to prosecutors.
Although Catherine was disappointed to hear the outcome, she still has the upmost respect for teachers.
She added: "I love and fervently support our teachers. I try to partner with my children's teachers, though it's more difficult the older they get because teachers have more students and less time to spend on each family.
"This post is not a blow to teachers in general, just one teacher. In every profession, you will always find a few bad apples. But they do not spoil the whole bunch."
