The principal of an elementary school in East York has been placed on home assignment after he was charged for allegedly stomping on a child during a schoolyard fight last month.
In a letter sent home to parents of Chester Elementary School on Gowan Avenue, between Broadview and Pape avenues, the Toronto District School Board says the principal of the school is facing one count of assault.
“The charge stems from an incident involving a student that occurred on school grounds last month,” Supt. of Education Lucy Giannotta says in the letter.
Toronto police spokesperson Const. Allyson Douglas-Cook said that on Sept. 25, they were made aware of an incident that occurred on Sept. 19.
Police were told that some sort of fight involving two students broke out in the playground outside the school.
Douglas-Cook said they were told the principal tried to intervene, and one of the children started spitting on him and become“violent.”
It is alleged that the principal threw the student, said to be nine years old, to the ground and stomped on them.
Douglas-Cook said the parents reported the incident to Children's Aid Societies, which contacted police.
The principal, identified as Sean Hume, was charged with assault on Wednesday and went to 55 Division with his lawyer to be booked.
He appeared in court the same day and was released on a promise to appear.
“While it is important to remember that laying criminal charges does not constitute guilt, and that a person is innocent until proven otherwise in a court of law, we also cannot and do not take these allegations lightly,” Giannotta said.
The school board says it will have supports ready for students who feel upset about the incident and the arrest.
Hume was also a volunteer scout leader in East York.
Scouts Canada executive director John Petitti said that police did not inform the organization of the investigation into Hume and the resulting charge, but once they learned of it, Hume was “terminated” from his role in scouting.
“Although the authorities did not notify Scouts Canada of the charges or contact us in the course of their investigation, we will of course support their efforts in any way that we can,” Petitti said in an email.
