Assistant principal knocked down, punched by student, police say

Police say a student at Pulaski Heights Middle School in Little Rock knocked down an assistant principal and punched her in the face, causing possible injuries that left the administrator having difficulty walking.

The 13-year-old girl, whose name was not released, was taken to the Pulaski County Juvenile Detention Center on a charge of second-degree battery on a school employee.

The assistant principal, 66-year-old Sharon Cauley, told investigators she heard a disturbance in a classroom shortly before 1 p.m. Tuesday, went in and asked a 14-year-old girl to step outside to talk about it.

The 13-year-old suspect then tried "to push through her to continue fighting [the 14-year-old]," the report said. Police say Cauley attempted to stand between them when the 13-year-old "took her to the ground and punched her."

A teacher in the classroom said the 13-year-old punched Cauley "in the facial region for an estimated 20 seconds," the report added.

The teacher said the original disturbance between the two students started when the 13-year-old was bullying the other teen about her hair.

Cauley was taken in an ambulance to CHI St. Vincent Hospital for treatment of a possible internal injury, according to the report. She complained of pain in her neck and head and had trouble walking after the incident, police said.

A spokesman for the Little Rock School District said Cauley was ultimately "said to be fine" and was back at work Wednesday.

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