BENTONVILLE -- A couple is suing the Bentonville School District over what they perceived as threats a West High School teacher directed at their daughter.
Charles and Kisha Gilchrist filed the suit Tuesday in Benton County Circuit Court on behalf of their daughter against the School District and John Jeffrey, a geometry teacher.
The girl was a student in Jeffrey's eighth period geometry class, according to the lawsuit.
"We've not seen any filings, but also don't comment on pending litigation," said Leslee Wright, district director of communications.
The lawsuit claims the class laughed at how Jeffrey said the word "quadrilateral" and he turned to the Gilchrists' daughter and another student with his hand balled up in a fist and shaking and said he would punch both of them in the nose.
Their daughter told Jeffrey his statement was a threat and Jeffrey replied it wasn't a threat, but a promise, according to the complaint.
The lawsuit claims the Gilchrists' daughter was upset and shaken over the interaction.
Jeffrey asked the girl at the end of class why she looked angry and she told him he threatened her and "gives her bad anxiety," according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit claims the girl told Jeffrey her mother had talked with him before about how he spoke to her, and Jeffrey laughed and said he remembered.
Jonathon Guthrie, the school's principal, met with Kisha Gilchrist and her daughter about the situation and explained Jeffrey was being sarcastic and he would talk with him and pull the girl from his class, the lawsuit states.
Kisha Gilchrist stressed she believed Jeffrey threatened her daughter and the comment was not funny, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit claims Jeffrey stopped the girl May 4 when she was walking to her new geometry class and asked her about being pulled from his class and he wanted to make sure he didn't do anything wrong, according to the lawsuit.
The girl texted her mother and reported Jeffrey had scared her, the lawsuit states.
The case is assigned to Benton County Circuit Judge Xollie Duncan.