A Georgia teacher reportedly has been placed on paid administrative leave after being charged with making terroristic threats against a 16-year-old student.
Randolph Forde was arrested last month after being accused of asking the student at Mundy's Mill High School whether or not he was gay, threatening to hit the student and later offering another student money to kill the boy, MyFoxAtlanta.com reported.
Citing a police report, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution said Forde asked another student to "put a hit" on the teenager.
"The suspect advised the witness that he would pay him to kill the victim," the report states.
Forde denied have any interaction with or making any statement about the alleged victim, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
The teen's mother is outraged.
"A teacher threatens to kill your child, that's the most disturbing," Marcia Killebrew told MyFoxAtlanta.com. "It could have really happened."
Forde’s attorney, Borquaye Thomas, said his client asked the student if he was gay after seeing the boy dance inappropriately with another male student, the newspaper said.
The student didn’t seem to have a problem with the question until he got into trouble for another incident, according to the Journal-Constitution.
"All of the students knew Mr. Forde was joking. The other students said Mr. Forde always plays around with them like that," Thomas told the paper. "The student only complained after he was getting suspended."
Forde was released from jail on $10,000 bond and ordered to avoid the student, the Journal-Constitution said. He is waiting for his case to go before a grand jury.
School officials postponed a Tuesday employment hearing aimed at deciding whether Forde will face disciplinary action. It will now be held after Thanksgiving.
Click here for more on this story from MyFoxAtlanta.com.
Click here for more on this story from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
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