School teacher arrested for allegedly choking student over 'bruh' comment

Tracey Matthews, a 56-year-old teacher in Arkansas, has been arrested and charged with aggravated assault following an Alleged physical attack on a student.

The incident occurred on 15 April 2026 at Wonder Junior High School in West Memphis, after a verbal exchange regarding classroom etiquette turned violent.

According to a police report, the confrontation began when a student requested a computer and referred to Matthews as "bruh."

Matthews reportedly took offence to the informal address, responding, "I’m not your bruh. I’m your sir," before the situation escalated into a physical confrontation.

Surveillance footage reviewed by investigators allegedly shows Matthews grabbing the student by his shirt and shoving him into a desk.

The report further claims that Matthews later pinned the student against a wall by his neck and began choking him.

Following the encounter, the student reported experiencing significant difficulty breathing. School administrators promptly notified the authorities and provided detectives with the video evidence necessary to launch a formal criminal investigation.

Matthews was subsequently taken into custody and is currently awaiting further legal proceedings regarding the felony assault charge.

The West Memphis School District has described the event as an "isolated incident" and emphasised that the safety of students and staff remains their paramount priority.

Officials declined to provide additional details, noting that the matter is now an active law enforcement case. Matthews has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the trial.

The district has recently implemented new conflict resolution training for its staff members to prevent similar occurrences in the future.