CEDARVILLE (KFSM) — The Cedarville School District superintendent said Friday (Nov. 4) a junior high school science teacher and basketball coach was on unpaid administrative leave.
This comes after Derek Barlow was arrested on suspicion of choking a child, according to a police report.
Detectives began investigating the child abuse allegation against Barlow Oct. 31 after a report was made with the Hamilton House Child and Family Safety Center, the police report states.
The incident happened Oct. 18 at Mercy Hospital in Fort Smith, the report states. The victim and a witness told investigators Barlow pushed him against the wall and put his hand on his throat because he had missed two tackles during a football game and “played like a girl,” according to the report.
Barlow is facing a second-degree domestic assault charge, the report states.
Barlow has been a teacher in Cedarville since last year and is now on unpaid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, the superintendent said.
