School Investigating After Sapulpa Student Says Assistant Principal Injured Her

Sapulpa school leaders promise a full investigation after a student claims an assistant principal assaulted her.

The student’s family has now hired an attorney and is taking legal action.

Danee Thomas, 17, said earlier this month her friend was tackled to the ground by a police officer on Sapulpa school grounds. She had just pulled her phone out to record it when she said Assistant Principal Brian Jones ordered her to hand it over.

When she said no, she said it got physical.

"He was using his thumb to smash in between my finger and my thumb to make me let go. And I'm screaming ‘Ow! Stop. Stop Let go.’ But he wouldn't," Thomas said.

She said her finger went numb so she let go. Thomas said Jones then forced her to unlock the phone for him.

"He went to the fight, he watched it, sent it to himself and others and he deleted it," she said.

Her aunt, Aleta Thomas, showed up shortly after. She said Jones was everything but apologetic.

"I said ‘Did you grab my child?’ And he said, ‘Yes I did and I'll do it again,’" she said.

Aleta Thomas said the principal told her Jones acted appropriately.

"Mr. Shipley made the comment that whatever we can do at home they can do at school. And I said ‘You know what? I would never grab her like that. It hurt her,’" she said. "DHS would then remove her from the home and I would have been charged."

Thomas' attorney said they plan on pursuing the case and he thinks Jones should be charged with simple assault at the very least.

The school said, "As of today, we are still fully investigating this matter. All the facts deal with students and school personnel so we're not at liberty to comment on those details. We will take appropriate action when all the facts of the incident have been determined.”

Thomas said she has a major sprain and can't go to her part-time job at QuikTrip for 10 days.