A Central Florida teacher is facing misdemeanor battery charges after she allegedly bit two students over a jar of pickles.
The teacher, Rhonda Rice, told administrators from Polk County Public Schools system that she was "playing around with students," according to a spokesperson, per WFLA.
The incident reportedly happened in October at Bartow Middle School, just south of Lakeland, Florida, and about an hour and a half drive south of Orlando.
The aunt of one of the students involved, Kathy Toro, told WFLA what happened: She said her 15-year-old nephew and another student were working at the school store when the incident occurred.
Rice tried to take the jar of pickles from them, but they tried to take them back, and that's when Rice allegedly bit the students.
"She just bit them on the forearm and, of course, they released and she was able to get the pickles but there’s other ways to do that," Toro said.
Toro then went to the Bartow police in November press charges. At the time, Rice admitted only to licking the students, according to an affidavit filed by Bartow police.
"Even if it was and she did lick him, but I don’t believe she did, it’s still not acceptable to me," Toro said.
Rice is set to be arraigned on March 31, after police and the state attorney's office filed two misdemeanor battery charges against her.
She was placed on paid administrative leave and no longer works at Bartow Middle School. Rice was suspended for three days following a review and then relocated to Sleepy Hill Middle School. She has been a teacher in Polk County Public Schools system since 2000.
"She needs to be put in jail and learn from her mistake," Toro said. "She can’t put any part of herself on any child."
WFLA tried to contact Rice on Monday, but did not hear back from her.
"Although she described her actions as playing around with students, we expect our employees to act professionally and serve as models of mature behavior. They must set a good example for students to follow, and anything less is unacceptable," Polk County Public Schools spokesperson Jason Geary said in a statement.
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