A Florida educator is facing a criminal charge after authorities say he taped a student’s mouth shut during a classroom dispute on Monday.
Michael Alvarez, who was previously listed as a Bible teacher at First United Methodist Christian School, was taken into custody following an investigation by the Homestead Police Department.
Court records from Miami-Dade County show that Alvarez has been officially charged with one count of simple battery.
The incident first came to light when the student’s parents approached school administrators to report that their child had been subjected to the use of tape over their mouth. Following that meeting, the matter was turned over to local law enforcement.
While Alvarez was previously identified on the private school’s staff directory, his name and profile have since been removed from the website. According to police statements cited by local news outlets, the physical encounter allegedly followed a disagreement between the teacher and the student.
The legal process is in its early stages. Currently, court records do not show whether Alvarez has retained legal counsel or if he has entered a formal plea to the battery charge. His bond was set at $1,000, and no future court dates have been finalized in the public docket.
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