Statements from an Irmo Middle School teacher regarding incidents leading to the arrest

by Junna Base November 8, 2024

IRMO, SC (WIS) – New details have emerged surrounding the arrest of an Irmo Middle School teacher for allegedly hitting two students.

Jermaine Cornelius Singletary, 51, turned himself in to Lexington County deputies Wednesday and was charged with two counts of third-degree assault.

The Lexington County Sheriff’s Department sent WIS News 10 a copy of the incident report with details of the two separate incidents.

In the first incident, which occurred in March, the report said Singletary wrote in a statement that a student came up behind him and began squeezing and rubbing his head. He claimed that when he turned around, he swung his arm and hit the student.

The report goes on to say Singletary claimed he apologized and told the student “not to rub his head or touch it.”

According to the warrants, Singletary allegedly struck the student in the chest, causing injuries. He also reportedly said this in a classroom a week or two after the incident: “Of course you’ll get a slap in the face if you try that again. With something like that, everyone risks getting a slap in the face.”

However, Singletary wrote in his statement that a few days after the incident, the student began acting up in class, and when he was asked to put his phone away, the students allegedly shouted at Singletary that he should “be fired for hitting me.” has”. The student allegedly went on to say, “You shouldn’t have hit me, then I’ll grab you by the head again.”

Singletary said in the statement that he told the student “he would get a slap in the face if he tried that again” and that he told the students “everyone risks getting a slap in the face if they do something like that.” , and they must think before they act.”

The second incident occurred in October, when Singletary allegedly hit another student after he picked up his homeworld from the trash.

According to another incident report, Singletary alleged that students were presenting group projects when he told them they could take them home but not break them into pieces at school.

He said a group ignored his request and the project collapsed. He claimed he asked for the project and threw it in the trash because it posed “a security issue.”

The report goes on to say Singletary claimed the student ignored him when he called his name several times and told him to throw the part of the project back in the trash. He claimed the student continued to ignore him.

Singletary claimed he told the student no and gave the project to a female student, who gave him the project after he said he would write the student up.

The report continues with various statements from people whose names have been redacted.

The arrest warrant states that Singletary approached the student and struck him twice on the shoulder with his open hand.

A news release from deputies said Singletary did not report either incident to school administrators.

Lexington-Richland School District 5 issued the following statement:

“The Lexington and Richland Counties Fifth School District received notification that a district employee had been arrested. We are cooperating fully with law enforcement in the investigation and the employee is on administrative leave. Because this criminal investigation is ongoing, all questions should be directed to the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department.”

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