Teacher at Pittsburgh-area school accused of provoking fight between students
A teacher at Valley Jr.-Sr. High School in New Kensington is accused of provoking a fight between students in the classroom.
Bradley Reiher was charged with corruption of minors and endangering the welfare of children, the Westmoreland County District Attorney's Office said in a news release on Thursday.
Officials said law enforcement became aware of the allegations after a video of the fight, which happened in October, was posted on social media.
In the video, according to the news release, Reiher can be heard provoking the students and instigating them to engage in a fight. The "fight became physical initially" between the two students before a third student "became involved," the news release said.
In the video, obtained by KDKA, Reiher appears to tell a student to: "Stand up and do something already. Quit talking, and do it."
"I thought it was disgusting for a teacher to act that way, honestly," George Theis, the father of a girl involved in the fight, told KDKA on Thursday. "He is supposed to be there protecting the kids."
The 45-year-old Reiher and another teacher broke up the scuffle, according to the news release. Theis said an argument in a group chat led to the fight in the classroom. He added that he posted the video because he felt the district didn't want to acknowledge the fight.
"We trust teachers with our kids all day, and then he's encouraging and inciting a fight," Theis said.
Reiher's preliminary hearing is scheduled for January. KDKA reached out to Reiher's attorney, who responded, "No comment."
KDKA also reached out to the New Kensington-Arnold School District's superintendent, who would not comment but said that Reiher, a math teacher, is still employed by the district.