LA PLATA, Md. — A 15-year-old student at Maurice J. McDonough High School faces juvenile assault charges after intentionally striking a teacher in the back of the head with a laptop on November 19, the Charles County Sheriff’s Office announced.
The incident occurred as a class was dismissing shortly before 2:30 p.m. School Resource Officer Corporal James Tomlinson responded to the classroom after staff reported the assault. An investigation determined the teacher had questioned the student about prior unexcused absences immediately before the attack.
The teacher was evaluated and treated by the school nurse for injuries to the head and neck. No hospitalization was required, and the teacher returned to duties following treatment.
Cpl. Tomlinson continued the investigation over the following week, gathering statements from the teacher, the student, and several witnesses. On November 25, the officer filed juvenile petitions in Charles County District Court charging the student with second-degree assault, a misdemeanor that carries a maximum penalty of 10 years incarceration and/or a $2,500 fine if tried as an adult. Because the suspect is 15, the case remains in the juvenile justice system under Maryland law.
Charles County Public Schools confirmed the student also faces disciplinary action under the Code of Student Conduct, which lists physical attack on a staff member as a Level 5 offense. Possible school-level consequences range from extended suspension to expulsion, determined after a hearing with the student, family, and school administrators.
Second-degree assault on a teacher in a school setting is prosecuted under Maryland Criminal Law Article § 3-203, and cases involving students are routinely handled through the Department of Juvenile Services rather than adult court unless the state’s attorney seeks a waiver for particularly violent offenses. No request for waiver has been filed in this case as of November 26.
Charles County Public Schools officials reminded families that any act of violence against staff is taken seriously and will result in both criminal and administrative consequences. The district’s 2024-2025 Code of Student Conduct explicitly prohibits “attacking a staff member” and lists referral to law enforcement as standard procedure for such incidents.
The teacher involved has requested privacy and did not wish to make a public statement. School administrators sent a brief message to McDonough families on November 25 informing them of the incident and confirming the matter was being handled by both law enforcement and school officials.
This case marks at least the third time in the past five years that a Charles County student has faced criminal charges for assaulting a teacher or staff member with an object. Similar incidents at Westlake High School in 2021 and Henry E. Lackey High School in 2023 involved chairs and a metal water bottle, respectively.
