(Still From Video Surveillance)
Kenosha, Wis. – A Kenosha Unified School District (KUSD) employee has been terminated following an investigation into alleged inappropriate physical interactions with a student at Chavez Learning Station.
Makaella Toney, a Head Start employee, was placed on administrative leave on November 4, 2024, and officially terminated on November 21, 2024, after a review of surveillance footage and witness statements.
Incident Overview
The incident in question occurred on October 31, 2024, when Toney was bringing a class inside from recess. According to the investigative report, a young student resisted re-entering the building, prompting a physical exchange between the child and Toney.
Video footage reviewed by district officials allegedly shows Toney physically handling the student multiple times, including lifting her off the ground by her upper arms, carrying her over her shoulder, and setting her down in various locations. The footage reportedly captures the student resisting and struggling as Toney attempted to guide her inside.
Witness statements from fellow staff members described Toney using a “strong voice” and physically maneuvering the child in a manner that some viewed as excessive. One witness recalled Toney yelling across the room in frustration, questioning why the student was upset.
Toney’s Defense
In her written statement, Toney defended her actions, explaining that the child refused to come inside despite multiple attempts to encourage cooperation. Toney stated that she was concerned for the child’s safety due to other students playing nearby and felt the need to intervene.
“I didn’t want to be the mean person,” Toney wrote in her statement. “I wanted her to do it on her own… I gave her lots of chances.”
Toney also claimed that the child was not injured or in distress, adding that after the situation was resolved, the student later approached her voluntarily, hugged her, and expressed affection.
District’s Decision and Response
Following the investigation, KUSD Human Resources reviewed the surveillance footage and staff reports before making the decision to terminate Toney’s employment.
12 Responses
I see a lot of kids running in the street……..
Boy….that’s a close call.
The only two things that struck me as inappropriate were swinging motions she made with the child and lifting by one arm. I would think some training and formal documentation would have been the correct approach in this case…..unless there is a history of this with the staff member.
This age range is tough as the kids can be a danger to themselves and not always respond to verbal correction.
The staff member did not appear to be acting angrily and did not seem hesitant to take the physical actions in clear view of other staff and students.
KUSD had a tough call here. I am sure the Parents were out for blood, but a little Training was the right discipline. If the kid is that defiant…..I would wager that the Parents are far more physical with her in the home setting.
KUSD should have cameras like this in every classroom in the district showing what is said and seen. Education would improve in a large manner if Teachers had such level of accountability and transparency.
IMO by the video alone without sound, it doesn’t appear to me she did anything to physically hurt the kid. Of course, we don’t know her demeanor or if the child was screaming, etc. without sound. I think she held the kid the way she did because she’s a bigger woman. Lifting the child by the arms only happened because the child kept lifting his/her legs up off the ground on purpose.
OK this is not bad people , i don’t think she did anything wrong here , what was she supposed to do just let the kid do what it wanted , to me appear that she was looking out for the safety of this child you can clearly see that the child is being very difficult and i think she doing great job trying to direct this child this is the problem today . you redirect your child or take a little dripline with them you are a bad parent this needs to stop, or are jails are going to be more crowed when these kids get older. There nothing wrong with correcting behavior as long as you are not harming the child, this is what needs to change not every one is a abuser. They need to apologize to this women and give her the job back . the end
kusd dont make a example out of this , this one is not a iisue
your issue is your teacher trying to have sex with are children !!!!!!!!!!!
That and not teaching proper grammar apparently.
KUSD, don’t make an example out of this, this one is not an issue. Your issue is your teachers trying to have sex with our children!!!!!!!!!!!
5/10 please see me after class.
I’m glad everyone is saying what I was thinking. Maybe a couple times she pulled a little rougher but under the circumstances I don’t see anything over the top. This calls for training, not firing.
Seems to me, What we have here is a failure to communicate.
This child was being obstinate from the get go. This teacher / teachers aid / employee was doing everything in her power to move this child along to keep up with the group. Obviously she was also responsible for watching the other children in the group when this individual child took all her attention.
As for picking the child up, who hasn’t had a child who didn’t want to be held climb up over your shoulder in an attempt to get away ???
This child is probably a “problem child” from the first day to the last. And that is because of a home environment of letting it get away with EVERYTHING !!!!!
This is a child problem not an adult problem.
Unless the child was Physically harmed in any way I think the adult here did everything she could to not get mad or abusive.
Sound would certainly add to the investigation of this incident.
I vote for further review !!
I thought KUSD said it was closing Chavez Learning Station. What happened to that plan?
Yea and she gets fired🤦🏾♀️ but you got a drug dealing teacher who admits to selling drugs, a kid died from some drugs she sold him.! And she’s going back to work at Washington school next week😒smh
Maybe because she is excessively overweight she lost her patience. Breathing and walking is hard enough for her. She needs to stay away from children and get healthier.
Anyone who thinks working with children is easy, especially very young children, doesn’t have a clue or has never done it !!
Some people who are not “fit” take jobs others wouldn’t dream of doing ! Sometimes because that’s the only job someone will hire them for. Discrimination for looks and “fitness” is prevalent all across our society in jobs.
Getting people to do this job is hard.
So let’s not get too hasty in this case.
Consider the child. This is not a case where the “customer” is always right