Mother of student in Cape choking incident considering pulling him from school

The mother of the Cape Girardeau Central High School student who was allegedly choked by one of the school's physics teachers said Wednesday that she is mulling whether to take her child out of the school.

Roman D. Smith, 32, is charged with misdemeanor third-degree assault stemming from a "play fight" with the student in a downtown parking lot last month, according to a news release sent out Tuesday by Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle.

Penny Coleman said her 16-year-old son has been harassed by other students about the incident and that she is considering removing him from the school.

"I don't want this to affect his schooling," Coleman said, adding that her son generally gets good grades.

Coleman said she talked with school officials Wednesday and that they told her that they had suspended Smith and nothing more could be done.

In an email to the Southeast Missourian, Central High School principal Dr. Mike Cowan said he couldn't comment on the incident because it was "a personnel matter and a matter of student discipline."

School superintendent Dr. Jim Welker said that no action has been taken against Smith except for placing him on administrative leave, which he was still on as of Wednesday.

Coleman said late Wednesday that she would discuss whether to pull her son out of the school with his father before making a decision.

The Cape Girardeau School District's policy on intradistrict transfers says the superintendent can "direct the intradistrict transfer of students for the health, safety or welfare of the student, to maintain discipline and safety in the schools, to better meet the educational needs of the student or to address overcrowding in school."

There are no other public high schools in Cape Girardeau.

Welker declined to comment on the potential transfer Wednesday.

State law dictates that a child must attend school where he or she resides. Children who are homeless, disabled, participating in an interdistrict transfer program established by a court order or are considered to have a transportation hardship are allowed to attend school outside their districts, according to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

The "fight" between Smith and the student began after Smith, the student and two of the student's female friends engaged in conversation in downtown Cape Girardeau on Jan. 21, according to a probable-cause statement. It escalated when Smith allegedly wrapped his feet around the student's waist and applied a choke hold, causing the student to lose consciousness, according to the statement.

The student convulsed and snored after allegedly being choked, one of the witnesses told Coleman.

Coleman said her son had never had contact with Smith outside of school before the incident and called Smith's alleged contact with her son inappropriate.

She said Tuesday that her son and Smith had recent run-ins in school. Smith accused the student of cheating recently, she said. In a meeting following that incident, Smith apologized and assured Coleman "nothing would happen again," she said.

Smith was mailed a summons Tuesday and will appear in court March 6, according to online court records. Smith is a member of the Missouri Army National Guard, a spokeswoman confirmed Wednesday.

Smith pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated in November and was given a suspended imposition of sentence.

His attorney for that case, Bryan Greaser, said he may represent Smith in his assault case, but nothing was official. Greaser declined to comment further and did not give a phone number.

The Southeast Missourian has been unable to obtain a phone number for Smith, who was not at his Sikeston, Mo., home late Wednesday and didn't respond to a note seeking comment left on his doorstep early Wednesday night.

psullivan@semissourian.com

388-3635

Pertinent address:

South Main Street and Independence Street, Cape Girardeau, MO

1000 S. Silver Springs Road, Cape Girardeau, MO