Family of Ohio teen tackled by teacher gets $275K to settle suit

CANTON, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio school district and a former teacher there have agreed to pay $275,000 to settle a lawsuit after the teacher tackled a 14-year-old boy in a classroom conflict recorded on cellphone video.

The family alleged Canton schools and intervention specialist Kenneth Weatherbee violated the student’s rights in December 2017.

The Repository newspaper reports the district and Weatherbee each pay half the settlement under terms shared by the family’s lawyer. It includes an apology from Weatherbee, who resigned. The district agrees to continue providing crisis-prevention training for staff.

Weatherbee has said he was only trying to restrain the teen, who threatened another student.

The video shows the boy pulling away after Weatherbee touches his arm. Weatherbee then wraps his arm around the teen’s neck and takes him to the floor.