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Texas Teacher Arrested After Video Shows Her Slapping Student: Police

The nine-second video appears to show Mary Hastings, a teacher at Ozen High School, striking a student five times while yelling at him.
Mary A. Hastings, a 63-year-old teacher at Ozen High School, was arrested for assault after video surfaced of her hititng a student in her math class.
Mary A. Hastings, a 63-year-old teacher at Ozen High School, was arrested for assault after video surfaced of her hititng a student in her math class.Courtesy Jefferson County

A Texas high school teacher was arrested Friday after video emerged online of her repeatedly slapping a student in the back of the head.

The nine-second video posted on Twitter appears to show Mary Hastings, a teacher at Ozen High School in Beaumont, striking a student five times while yelling at him about a disruption, calling him an "idiot ass." It was not clear exactly what preceded the action.

Mary A. Hastings, a 63-year-old teacher at Ozen High School, was arrested for assault after video surfaced of her hititng a student in her math class.
Mary A. Hastings, a 63-year-old teacher at Ozen High School, was arrested for assault after video surfaced of her hititng a student in her math class.Courtesy Jefferson County

Hastings then appears to mock the student's crying following the repeated hits.

She was arrested on one charge of assault and released on bail, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.

The school said it placed her on administrative leave, and the school district said in a statement that they do not condone and won't tolerate employees abusing a child.

Hastings could not immediately be reached for comment.