A headteacher has been caught on camera smacking a six-year-old girl with a wooden bat after she 'damaged a computer'.
The horrendous footage shows Melissa Carter, who led Central Elementary School in Clewiston, Florida spanking the child on the bottom several times with a paddle after she allegedly broke a computer.
The disturbing clip shows Carter telling the sobbing child 'finally you understand what's going on'.
The whole thing played out in front of the child's traumatised mother who said she was too frightened to intervene but decided to secretly film the appalling incident to show what was going on inside the school.
The unnamed mother, who did not have a great understanding of English, said the school claimed her child had caused $50 worth of damage to class equipment, WINK news reports.
Confused, the mum said she arrived to pay the fine on April 13 and had no idea what was happening.
She claims to have been led to the Principal's office where her child was struck on the behind with a wooden paddle in front of her.
Corporal punishment is banned in Hendry County school district where the school is located, despite being legal in the rest of Florida state.
The mother claimed that if she intervened with Carter's actions she'd also be in trouble and was concerned about her immigration status being questioned so she filmed the shocking incident on her phone.
The mother claimed that if she intervened with Carter's actions she'd also be in trouble and was concerned about her immigration status being questioned.
Not knowing what else she could do, she filmed the incident on her phone.
The tearful mum told WINK News: "Nobody would have believed me.
"I sacrificed my daughter, so all parents can realise what's happening in this school."
She says she had spoken on the phone with someone from the school who had mentioned paddling the girl but due to the language barrier, the mum did not understand what that meant.
She also claimed they told her a deputy would be present for the punishment but there was not.
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here.
