RICHMOND HEIGHTS, Mo. – Maplewood Richmond Heights Middle School families received an email today, letting them know that violence in any form has no place in MRH schools.

A substitute teacher is in jail after he allegedly struck an 8th-grade student in the hallway on Friday.

Teenagers say they were surprised when a substitute teacher allegedly took a swing at one of them.  

 “You could have sent him to the office,” says the unidentified mom of a 13-year-old boy.  “You didn’t have to put your hands on a kid.”

The 8th-grade student’s mom, who did not want to appear on camera, says she got a call telling her that her 13-year-old son was allegedly struck and it was caught on camera.

 “He didn’t even report it at all,” says the alleged victim’s mother.  “My son waited all the way until the end of the class and then reported it later on in the day. It made no sense.”  

Maplewood Richmond Heights School District Director of Operations, Michael Dittrich, sent an email to 7th and 8th grade parents Friday regarding the incident.

“A first-time substitute teacher, employed by Kelly Services, physically struck an 8th grade student,” Dittrich wrote. 

The student suffered no serious physical harm, and the teacher was removed from campus.

“Who wants to pull up to the school because somebody is putting their hands… a grown man,” said the mother.  “My son’s 13.”

Maplewood Police told FOX 2 that the school district immediately notified the school resource officer.

Police are not releasing a name but confirming a male suspect was taken into custody.

The MRH School District is telling families the school resource officer is conducting an investigation along with other members of the Maplewood Police Department.