YPSILANTI, MI – In a horrifying incident at a Michigan middle school, a coach was caught on camera reportedly choking a student over a pushup disagreement. The student’s parents are now demanding criminal charges against the coach.
The alarming event took place on June 4 at Ypsilanti Middle School when the coach, whose identity remains undisclosed, allegedly ordered the student, Michael Moon, to do pushups as punishment for messing around in the school hallway.
Caught on surveillance video, the coach chases Moon, throws a shirt over his head, and pulls it tight around the teen’s neck. The pair end up in a scuffle as Moon attempts to break free. After the ordeal, visibly upset Moon confronts the coach before walking away.
Ypsilanti Community Schools Superintendent Alena Zachery-Ross stated in a press release that the school has terminated the coach. He is also banned from entering school property or attending school events.
The district has taken a firm stand, stating the coach’s actions as absolutely unacceptable and intolerable in the district. Zachery-Ross added that the district aims at maintaining a secure environment for all students and will continue to enforce student protection policies.
As soon as the district was made aware of the incident, social services were promptly alerted. A letter sent to the local community by the superintendent assured the district’s commitment to cooperating fully with the authorities investigating the incident.
Moon’s parents reported the incident to the police, who presented them with the disturbing footage. They are now pressing for charges to be filed against the coach.
Expressing their dismay, Moon’s father demanded justice for his son, involving the coach facing termination, job loss, and jail time. Jordan Vahdat, the family’s lawyer, also stated that they were waiting for the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office to take action against the assaulting school official and were open for dialogue with the school to prevent such incidents and ensure accountability.