AKRON, Ohio — The Akron Public School Board voted unanimously to move forward with a resolution to consider terminating a Junior ROTC instructor accused of punching a high school student in the throat.
The board voted 7-0 to pursue firing Timothy Patrick, a commanding officer for the Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps at East Community Learning Center. Patrick is currently suspended without pay.
According to the board's resolution, Patrick suggested that a female cadet "engage in a physical altercation with them (other cadets) in order to heed her directions because she held a higher rank and to enforce her authority." Patrick then turned toward a male cadet "and proceeded to strike him in the throat, causing him to turn red and cough."
The resolution also states Patrick "acknowledged that he made physical contact with the student's neck."
The school board announced the suspension and termination proceedings Monday night. The incident itself occurred on May 14, but the resolution doesn't say where it happened.
"Mr. Patrick is hereby suspended without pay from all duties until further notice effective immediately," said Barbara Sykes, the school board's president.
News 5 reached out Superintendent Mary Outley and Sykes to inquire about the investigation. A statement released to News 5 said: "Because this is a personnel matter, the district will not be providing any additional comments at this time."
Pat Shipe, the president of the Akron Education Association, said the union represents Patrick. Shipe would not discuss the specific allegations but said the union is reviewing all of the circumstances.
"The concern is: Was everything followed correctly? Was all the evidence reviewed correctly? And that's what we're in the process of doing now," Shipe said.
On Tuesday, an Akron police spokesperson said the department was not investigating the incident because a report was not filed.
However, after further review, police said on Wednesday that a school resource officer did take a report on May 14.
According to the report, a 17-year-old cadet said he was standing next to another student when Mr. Patrick jokingly asked how other students in the class had been acting and whether they had ever tried hitting them in the throat.
The student said he started coughing after Patrick placed his hand on his shoulder and struck him in the throat.
The teen told police he did not believe Patrick intended to cause him physical harm and he declined EMS.
The female cadet told the school resource officer that the male cadet's face turned red and he coughed a few times. She stated she did not believe Patrick acted with malicious intent.
According to the report, Patrick also gave a statement and said a female cadet was complaining about other students and he jokingly asked her if she would hit them.
Patrick said he placed his hand on a cadet's shoulder and "tapped him in the throat."
No charged were filed.
According to the police report, "Based on the statements from all involved parties indicating no malicious intent, no injury and that the act was perceived as joking, no assault charges will be filed at this time."
Shipe said any disciplined employee has the right to due process and the option to appeal.
"He has 10 days to file an appeal, if he chooses to, so AEA will continue to work with him and make some decisions within the next 10 days on how to proceed," Shipe said.
