by Wesley Harris
A teacher at the Downsville Community Charter School was arrested Thursday after allegations he threatened students in his class.
Robert Mitcham, 70, of Ruston, was charged with terrorizing according to the Union Parish Sheriff’s Office.
On September 10, the UPSO was contacted by a concerned parent of a DCCS student. Deputies were told Mitcham, a physical education teacher, became angry during class and allegedly told his third grade students he “had bullets for his gun and he would bring it to the school and shoot.”
According to UPSO, the parent told deputies the child was afraid as were other students in the class.
UPSO said deputies began an investigation and interviewed students who witnessed the incident. A press release from UPSO said the statements corroborated the original complaint and that Mitcham allegedly told the students there were “too many of y’all to get rid of” and he “only had six bullets in his gun.”
UPSO investigators said they spoke with Mitcham who stated he felt overwhelmed and wanted the children to settle down and that he was not threatening them.
Witnesses stated when an older student told another teacher, Mitcham then apologized to the students, according to UPSO.
DCCS Executive Director Tony Cain said he could not comment in detail because the incident is a personnel matter involving legal issue.
However, he said rumors in the community and even some of the comments cited in the UPSO press release are not consistent with what the eyewitnesses to the incident have told the school.
“School administration was made aware last Thursday after school that some students were alleging that the teacher made some concerning comments in class,” Cain wrote in a statement. “Administration immediately investigated the situation. The school is not legally allowed to publicly comment on the details of this situation.
“However, we do want to make it clear that the allegations by the parent reporting to the Union Parish Sheriff’s Office and those in social media are NOT consistent with the firsthand accounts provided to school staff from the students who actually witnessed the incident. We feel confident that the students were truthful and accurate with their accounting of the incident.”
UPSO requested a warrant for terrorizing and one was issued by a Third District Court judge. Mitcham was arrested in Lincoln Parish yesterday by the Ruston Police Department and booked at the Union Parish Detention Center, charged with terrorizing. Mitcham’s bail was set at $15,000.
A condition of bail was set by the judge barring Mitcham from returning to the DCCS campus pending the outcome of this case.
Cain confirmed that Mitcham has been relieved of classroom duties for the time being.
In the press release, Union Parish Sheriff Dusty Gates reminded parents, students, and teachers that DCCS has two school resource officers on campus every day.
“Please utilize these officers to discuss any concerns, especially those of planned acts of violence. Additionally, anonymous tips can be submitted online via the Safe Schools Louisiana app or website, the UPSO app, or through Crime Stoppers of Union Parish.”
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