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Police, School Officials Investigating After Student Claims Teacher Punched Him

WHITEHALL (KDKA) -- Police are investigating after a middle school student told his family and authorities that one of his teachers hit him Wednesday, sending him to the hospital emergency room.

Damon Kolich, 13, on North Baldwin, says his math teacher punched him Wednesday in a hallway at the Harrison Middle School in Whitehall.

Kolich's grandmother, Christine Kolich, filed a report abput the incident with Whitehall Police.

Police Chief Donald Dolfi says when an officer went to the school to investigate after the call came in, both the teacher involved and the student had left.

"Our dispatch center received a call," said Chief Dolfi. "We responded to the school; however, when we got to the school, the staff member was not on scene and neither was the victim."

"Damon told me he was punched in the chest, he fell over, hit his head and passed out," the boy's grandmother told KDKA-TV News.

When Damon awoke, he was in a classroom.

What may have angered the teacher, according to Kolich's grandmother, was something her grandson told her happened on Tuesday.

"The day before, there was a substitute teacher, and I guess Damon was chit-chatting in class, and this teacher was not too happy with this when he came back today," she said, "and I guess that provoked him and that was it."

Kolich says the school principal called her to say the teacher was escorted out of the building after the alleged incident.

The boy was taken to Jefferson Regional Medical Center complaining of headaches and chest pain.

"Putting hands on a student, that's very upsetting that any teacher would do this for what reason," said Christine. "I mean, he said he didn't talk back to him or anything, there was reason for this."

Whitehall Police are expected to be at the middle school on Thursday to talk to possible eyewitnesses and staffers about the alleged incident.

According to group's website, an Ohio-based organization called Center For Effective Discipline, reported last year that 19 states allowed teachers to strike students. Pennsylvania does not allow corporal punishment in school.

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