Georgia Middle School Teacher Accused of Threatening to Behead Student Who Found Israeli Flag Hanging in His Classroom 'Offensive'
Teacher Benjamin Reese is accused of threatening to kill a student in a confrontation over the Israeli flag.
A Georgia middle school teacher has been arrested after allegedly threatening to behead a student who objected to an Israeli flag hanging in his classroom, RadarOnline.com has learned.
The incident took place at Warner Robins Middle School, where seventh-grade social studies teacher Benjamin Reese, 51, was arrested on charges of making a terroristic threat and cruelty to children.
Benjamin Reese was arrested on December 8 after allegedly threatening a student's life.
According to local news, the Houston County Sheriff's Office incident report noted that a deputy on duty at the school was notified of Reese making threats against a student's life at around 3:30 PM on December 7.
The report stated that during a passing period, a student confronted Reese and wanted to discuss the Israeli flag hanging in his classroom and told him she found it offensive. He then asked if it was because of Judaism.
The student wanted to know why the flag was being displayed.
Several witnesses said they heard Reese yelling that he was going to 'cut her head off.'
Reese told the student that he was Jewish and had family members living in Israel. The student then said she found the flag offensive "due to Israelis killing Palestinians."
The social studies teacher allegedly told the student she was being antisemitic. Several witnesses said that they then heard Reese shouting that "he would kick her f------ a--, slit her god--- throat and drag her a-- outside and cut her head off."
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The student told Reese she found the flag offensive 'due to Israelis killing Palestinians.'
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A fellow faculty member said they heard Reese say, "You don't make an antisemitic comment like that to a Jew."
The report further stated that witnesses claimed that while the student responded negatively to the teacher's comments, she was not yelling at the teacher. After the student left the classroom, Reese was said to have followed her down the hallway.
The witness said after Reese followed the student, he returned to his classroom and could be heard cursing loudly and yelling that he "should not be spoken to like that because he is a Jew."
Reese's bond was set at $2,000 for the terroristic threat charge and $5,000 for cruelty to children.
The report said the witness continued to overhear Reese making additional threats against the student's life, screaming, "I will drag her a-- into the parking lot, slit her f------ throat, and kill her."
Several other witnesses, which included fellow educators, staff, and students, told the deputy in separate interviews that they heard similar remarks from Reese.
The deputy reviewed security camera footage and while there was no audio, Reese was seen yelling and following the student before returning to his classroom.
When the deputy informed the middle school principal, Brett Wallace, of the incident, the two men spoke with Reese in his classroom. The deputy noted that Reese became defensive and "kicked the door stopper in an aggressive manner" when the teacher was led into the hallway.
Reese was arrested on December 8, and his bond was set at $2,500 for the terroristic threat charge and $5,000 for cruelty to children. He has since bonded out but has not returned to the school.
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