Concerned parent speaks out after violent interaction between a teacher and his son

HOUSTON COUNTY — A concerned parent said an incident took place at Mossy Creek Middle School between a teacher, Kevin Coulombe, and one of his students. 

The student’s father, Terrance Gardner, said his son was in Coulombe’s math class when the incident happened. 

According to Gardner, the kids in his son’s class were standing around talking and Coulombe asked them to sit down. 

“My son thought he was in trouble and was explaining to the teacher that it wasn’t him talking,” Gardner said. “They go back and forth and this man picks up his foot and kicks my child’s desk.” 

He also mentioned his son has been diagnosed with ADHD.  

Gardner said Coulombe called him and told him what had happened between him and his son.  

“One of the things he said to me was ‘sometimes I lose my temper’,” Gardner said. 

After failing to get in contact with the principal of Mossy Creek Middle, Gardner said he went over to the school in person to speak with them. 

“When I got up to the school, the admin saw I was upset, and they went to get [the principal] and he pulled me into his office,” he said. “I’m in mid-conversation, and he just blurts out, ‘Well, he’s not getting fired’.”

Gardner spoke to the Board of Education at the meeting last Tuesday about the incident and said two other parents were supposed to speak out about other alleged incidents involving Coulombe and his students. However, they did not show up. 

Gardner thinks other alleged incidents have happened to many students because of Coulombe’s temper.  

“It seems like what they’re doing over there is that they are covering up for this man,” he said. “It’s going on a month and this man is still in that school, and I have to send my child to that school. They just moved him from one class to another, but he’s still in the same hall.”

After the incident involving his son, Gardner said Coulumbe has no business in a classroom setting, no matter how educated or good a teacher he is. Gardner added he is not happy about how the Houston County Board of Education is handling this situation. 

“The only thing they have given me is that they’re going to handle it administratively and Human Resources is doing an investigation, but it’s not enough,” he said. “I’m not going to know if he’s suspended or fired. They’re not going to notify me.” 

Gardner hopes for the Board to do something about this situation. 

“If they don’t do something, I will, and I don’t mean physical violence, but I know how to get things done,” he said. 

Gardner is angrier than before after talking to the Board because he has to rehash the situation. He said this would be the last time he spoke to the Board about this incident. 

“He is a great kid, and to send him to school and have that type of foolishness happen all because he said ‘it wasn’t me talking’ is unbelievable,” he said. 

In response to this incident, Gardner wants Coulombe red-flagged and fired. 

“In today’s society, there’s no room for that. I graduated from high school in Warner Robins and went through this school system, and I have never seen nor heard of a teacher doing something like that,” he said. 

The Houston County School District provided a statement on the incident: 

“Due to federal privacy laws, we are unable to discuss student or personnel matters; however, the Houston County School District takes matters like this very seriously. All employees of the Houston County School District are required to follow the Code of Ethics for Educators. If there is a violation, or accusation of a violation, we investigate and respond appropriately. The safety and well being of our students is our number one priority.”