Sheri Lynn Davis: Family Sues Teacher in Student Cell Phone Beating Video

HOUSTON (CBS/KHOU/AP) The family of a 13-year-old boy whose beating by Houston charter school teacher Sheri Lynn Davis was caught on a classmate's cell phone has filed a lawsuit against the teacher and the school.

The lawsuit was filed Thursday on behalf of Isaiah Reagins by his mother, Alesha Johnson.

The science teacher was fired Monday night from Jamie's House Charter School, after video of Reagins' beating became public.

Davis allegedly backed 13-year-old Isaiah into a corner and began beating him while his classmates watched.

At the beginning of the video one can hear the laughter and applause from the students as Isaiah is backed into a corner by Davis after Isaiah reportedly teased a female classmate. But Janiqua Johnson, the student who shot the video on her cell phone, says Davis "snapped" and started beating the 13-year-old, according to CBS affiliate KHOU.

The teacher "just started beating him up," Janiqua Johnson told KHOU. "His behavior may have been bad but he didn't deserve that," Johnson said, referring to the teasing that preceded the alleged beating.

His family says the boy suffered a black eye and other bruises. Johnson says she's taken her son out of the school.

A spokeswoman for the school said she couldn't comment on the lawsuit, but that school officials feel they handled the situation appropriately after learning of it.