Student Claims Teacher Attacked Him, School Covered Up Incident

MIRAMAR, Fla. – A Broward County high school student claimed that his teacher, a former police officer, attacked him in class, and the school is covering up the incident.

In an exclusive interview with NBC 6’s Tisha Lewis, Everglades High School student Anthony Delgado said that his science teacher attacked him in front of his peers. But Delgado said it didn’t end there and that there was a school cover-up of the incident.

Delgado pulled his shirt to show marks around his neck. Delgado said the slightly red and raised areas were a result of his teacher, Donald McGavern, attacking him when Delgado left class for 18 minutes without permission.

Delgado said when he returned his teacher became violent.

“I went to go sit down in my seat and then he grabbed me by my neck and threw me against the cabinet and then he hit me with a book,” he said. “I tried to run out and he grabbed me by my neck again and by my arm and he threw me out the door.”

McGavern did not want to appear on camera but admitted there was an altercation.

“I pushed him when he got in my face in fear that there was going to be a punch thrown. I felt threatened,” McGavern said.

McGavern, a former Miami Beach police officer of 27 years, said he was defending himself.

“I regret the incident totally, not because of anything other than the fact that I had to defend myself,” he said.

But the students who said they saw the commotion and those who said they saw the aftermath, including Delgado’s best friend Mark Patterson, said it’s the students who were in danger.

“As I went to go walk to the classroom, I saw security guards out there and the teacher is all mad and stuff and they have him back there and the security guards are all protecting him,” Patterson said.

Student Joseph Devarona, who also said he witnessed the incident, said it was McGavern who attacked Delgado.

“The teacher flipped out, just started grabbing the kid and choking him and threw him on the table,” he said.

Student Nathew Canario said other students watched as Delgado was being attacked.

“I saw a punch go into his shoulder and the kid is screaming,” he said. “He’s like, ‘No, I’m going to sue you. I’m going to sue you, get off me,’” he said. “The teacher punched the student.”

The school did not initially report the incident to the Broward County School district.

The principal told a district spokesperson he was unaware the altercation was between a student and teacher, but McGavern said the principal was there.

“The principal witnessed a portion of the incident,” McGavern said.

Delgado and his parents said they will meet with an attorney and are thinking about filing charges.

The teacher could be reassigned to non-teaching duties as early as Friday morning while an investigation is under way.