Las Vegas school officials are investigating after a teacher allegedly forced students to crawl on hot pavement which can reach triple-digit temperatures.
One parent claimed that his 11-year-old son was treated for second-degree burns to his hands following the incident.
The physical education teacher at Garside Junior High has since been assigned to work from home, Clark County School District officials told news outlet 8NewsNow.
The station was contacted by the concerned parent who shared a photo of his son’s injuries, adding that he had been treated at hospital and referred to a burn and wound clinic. He told the outlet that he wished to remain anonymous but wanted to make the incident public to avoid similar incidents.
According to the parent, students were made to do bear crawls as punishment outdoors when temperatures reached 87 degrees Fahrenheit.
The 11-year-old’s father also told 8NewsNow that he was considering pressing criminal charges.
He added that Child Protective Services were investigating but the agency refused to confirm this to the station.
Beretta Coffman, the Chief Clinical Officer of the Burn and Reconstructive Centers of America, told Georgia station WJBF in July that such burn injuries were common in children on hot days whether it be from asphalt, playground ground surfaces or even equipment like slides.
“So if you as an adult were to step on a hot surface you very quickly move away. In a 15-month-old they often become very stunned and they don’t know what to do,” she said.
“During the summer months those surface become extremely hot, even on a 75 degree day those surfaces can exceed 125 degrees in temperature and that will burn a child,” Ms Coffman told the station – adding that children’s skin not only burns more easily because it’s as thick as adults’ but they also have slower reaction times.
