INDIANAPOLIS — New video of the alleged assault between a suspended Ben Davis High School teacher and a student is making the rounds on social media.
Friday night, the M.S.D. of Wayne Township remained tight-lipped on the investigation, while the teacher’s attorney shed more light on what he says the video doesn’t show.
This more-than-minute-long video captures the altercation between Ben Davis teacher Don Carlisle and a student.
The video taken in gym class on Sept. 6 at Ben Davis High School shows state championship basketball coach Carlisle and the student with their arms wrapped around each other in a struggle.
The two separate for a few seconds before Carlisle is seen wrapping his arms around the student and taking him to the ground.
Carlisle, whose teaching license expired in June of 2022, is on top of the student for more than 30 seconds.
But it’s what allegedly happened before the video that Carlisle’s attorney, Robert Hammerle, says is key.
“The video that’s shown is not playing the first half of what happened,” Hammerle told FOX59/CBS4 via phone Friday. “Where the student attacked my client and ripped a necklace off his neck. Mr. Carlisle was trying to confront him (the student) to get him to participate in class and the student refused and then attacked my client.”
FOX59/CBS4 reached out to the Wayne Township Metropolitan School District about the video with the following questions:
1. Have you provided surveillance video of the incident to IMPD?
2. Do you have an updated statement now that the video of the alleged assault is making the rounds on social media?
3. Has IMPD interviewed the coach or the student?
4. Are any other students who are witnesses going to be interviewed?
5. Have teachers or other staff been interviewed by school officials/police?
6. Is the student still attending a normal class schedule?
7. What was the process of Ben Davis involving DCS in the incident? i.e. was it a phone call, email etc.
8. Has the student involved been suspended or cited for previous disciplinary reasons ever? In particular, this school year?
The district sent FOX59/CBS4 the following statement:
“We are aware of the cell phone video. The District provided all requested records to authorities and will continue to cooperate as they conduct their investigation.
We respect the right to privacy and due process of everyone involved. We are committed to providing accurate information in a responsible manner and will refrain from providing confidential student information or details of the investigation.”
Wayne Township Metropolitan School District
“I think it’s just awful kids are allowed to act the way they are today anyway. And a grown man can only be pushed so far,” said Sheryle Testerman.
“More investigation would be the best. Because that’s his career. And a student is a student and you can’t touch them,” said Don Ybarra.
“I just hate that if it’s true, that if that happened, that it’s a shame that he (Carlisle) had done something like that, and if it’s not true, I feel real sorry for him,” said Sharon Ybarra.
The Department of Child Services is investigating the incident.
“This is strictly a school personnel matter so it would be inappropriate for the IHSAA to comment,” the Indiana High School Athletic Association said when contacted about the incident.
The video detailing the altercation between Carlisle and the student was provided to FOX59/CBS4 by Black Indy LIVE.
