Teacher may face charges for spanking students

CLOVER, S.C.,None — A middle school teacher accused of spanking his students in class is expected to turn himself in to authorities on Monday.

York County deputies obtained an arrest warrant Thursday afternoon for Chris Petrasek for assault and battery in the third degree.

Investigators have not filed any charges yet.

Petrasek has been a teacher at Oakridge Middle School in Clover for the past three years. He’s the school’s wrestling coach and a seventh-grade math teacher.

Parent Sonja Long didn’t know about the alleged abuse until Eyewitness News told her. Her son is a seventh grader at Oakridge, but does not have Petrasek as a teacher.

Still, she said she’s disappointed the school district didn’t notify all seventh grade parents.

“Of course you want to know what’s happening in your child’s school. I just think it would have been nice to be made aware of it,” Long said.

Sheriff’s deputies said three students reported being grabbed by the neck, bent over and spanked in class in late November.

Corporal punishment is legal in South Carolina, but it’s forbidden by the Clover School District.

A school spokesman told Eyewitness News the school resource officer asked the Sheriff’s Office to assist in the investigation because of the number of students and the seriousness of the allegations.

Eyewitness News went to Petrasek’s apartment in Rock Hill on Thursday night. The lights were on, but no one came to the door.

Neighbors couldn’t believe the allegations.

“It surprises me because I’ve never observed anything out of ordinary with him,” said neighbor Bo Adams.

Neighbors said Petrasek seemed happy with his career as a teacher and coach.

“As far as I know, he enjoyed his work,” Adams said.

Petrasek has been on paid administrative leave for the past week. He’s expected to meet with deputies Monday.

WSOC