Westchester Teacher Accused Of Attacking Student

MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. (CBS 2) -- Teacher rage has rocked Westchester County.

A high school teacher is accused of manhandling and throwing a student into a brick wall.

At Mount Vernon High school on Wednesday, students were talking about the teacher who got physical.

"He's very nice. I never thought he'd do something like that. He's one of my favorite teachers," student Adina Nicholas told CBS 2's John Slattery.

The most recent photos of the teacher were taken by the police. Police said Kelly Oram, a 51-year-old music teacher at the school for the past three years, just snapped after he got angry with a boy who acted up in class.

Investigators said Oram threw the student to the floor, dragged him out of the classroom by the back of the neck, and then shoved him up against a wall causing the boy's head to hit an alarm box.

He then allegedly threw a backpack at the student and slammed the door.

"It was wrong," student Shantell Sewell said of the teacher's alleged actions.

"He's a good teacher. He taught me a lot. I don't know why he'd manhandle, do something like that. It's very wrong," student Ti-Tiaja Harding said.

Word of the attack comes a week after a teacher in Tennessee was captured on cell phone video in a rage with a student.

At Oram's home in White Plains, no one answered the door. A next-door neighbor who drives a school bus said he was surprised by the accusations.

"Well, I drive a bus and I know what it can be like with the kids, although you can't grab a child.  No you can't even supposed to touch 'em," James Logue said.

The teacher has been reassigned to administrative work until the investigations are completed, both internal and criminal.

The teacher, who was charged with harassment and endangering the welfare of a child, will be in court on Oct. 27.