NASHVILLE, Tenn.–A Middle Tennessee school board has recommended a principal be fired for dragging a special education student through the school.

The Rutherford County Board of Education made the announcement on Thursday, stating Walter Hill Elementary principal Helen Campbell be fired for unprofessional conduct, conduct unbecoming, insubordination, and neglect of duty. Director of Schools Bill Spurlock stated on November 4, 2019, an elementary special education student failed to comply with a request from Campbell, then she and a teacher grabbed the student by the ankles and dragged the student through the hallways. The student sustained minor injuries and child abuse charges against Campbell and teacher Bonnie Marlar. The charges were later dismissed by a judge but Campbell and Marlar were suspended from their jobs.

Spurlock says Campbell is accused of trying to destroy the evidence, attempting and/or deleting security video footage of the incident from the school’s camera. Spurlock says Campbell entered nolo contendere plea to the charge and was placed on probation for the misdemeanor. She also issued the same plea -which does not admit guilt by Campbell but is a conviction- on a charge of neglect, a Class A misdemeanor.

The board shared stills from the video of the incident, showing Campbell pulling the child by his arm from a chair, grabbing the boy by the belt, then dragging him out of the front office by the wrists to the hallway. They then are shown grabbing his ankles and dragging him from the front office to the back of the school.

Campbell wasn’t without support, one of the school board members saying the decision was a result of the court of public opinion. Board member Tammy Sharp called Campbell a “phenomenal” principal and said the vote to fire Campbell was “disgusting,” and questioned the boy’s history. “Not one of us on this board has spoken to Miss Campbell. We don’t know the background of this student, we don’t know what his issues were,” Sharp said. “I think it’s disgusting and I’m sure our teachers that deal with problems like this every day have a chill down their back today and they’re looking for more jobs.”

Sharp called for a motion to find the charges didn’t warrant dismissal, a vote which failed to pass. The board did pass a recommendation for termination by a 5-2 vote.

Watch the video of the meeting and see more photos HERE