Principal Aveory Allen and teacher Derek Wilder facing criminal charges

Melissa Yarborough says she was appalled when her 11-year-old son Malik told her his principal, Aveory Allen, roughed him up at detention on April 1st.

"He grabbed him by his neck like this by his jacket and slammed him on the table," said Ms. Yarborough.

Griffin Police say it didn't end there.

They say another elementary school student rose up in protest to Malik's treatment and was wrongly disciplined by teacher Derek Wilder.

"Grabbing him by the neck and picking him up and placed him on a table," said Lt.., Mike Richardson, with the Griffin Police Department.

The School District said in a statement complaints were filed by parents of each student. School administrators immediately began an investigation that included interviewing witnesses. Statements affirm the two male students were grabbed by the neck.

Police conducted their own interviews which concluded with misdemeanor battery and felony cruelty to children in the second degree charges filed against Principal Aveory Allen and Teacher Derek Wilder.

"It was clear that the force used with these children exceeded what would. What we would consider a normal contact between an administrator and a student," said Lt.. Richardson.

A number of parents and grandparents at the school defended the principal and the teacher.

"I don't really know what happened but they are some good guys," said parent Michael Spear.

Michael Spear and other parents and grandparents told us Allen and Wilder were involved in the school and community and went beyond and above to help students.