Osceola teacher removed from class pending investigation into boys made to clean ‘untidy’ restroom

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — A Celebration K-8 teacher has been removed from the classroom pending an investigation into allegations they made a group of boys clean a messy restroom.

In a message to Celebration K-8 parents, Principal Rhonda McMahon explained that a group of boys in the third grade class were made to clean a restroom as punishment for leaving it “very untidy.”

>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<

READ: “With both middle fingers up”: Elementary school principal arrested after neighborhood dispute

In the message, McMahon said the incident had been reported to both the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Department of Children and Families.

“Please be assured I take the allegation very seriously,” McMahon said.

READ: Osceola County schools seeking solutions to bus driver shortage

Osceola County School Board member Jon Arguello says the incident is indicative of a larger district-wide problem.

“We don’t have enough paraprofessionals. We don’t have enough custodians. We don’t have enough bus drivers,” Arguello said. “To ignore that leads to situations like this. I know they’re going to say it’s a isolated incident, but it’s not.”

READ: Disneyland raises ticket prices again, prime days to cost $164 for one-day admission

Arguello says he’s heard from parents who expressed concern about an alleged lack of protection the students were given in their task. Just two months ago, the same school was briefly shut down due to a surge of COVID-19 infections.

Any parents with additional concerns about the incident were told to contact Principal McMahon directly.

Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.

Cox Media Group