Wonder teacher arrested after altercation with student
Student arrested, but immediately released with charges dropped
By DONALD WILBURN
donaldfwilburn@gmail.com
A teacher at Wonder Junior High School has been arrested and charged with third-degree battery and filing a false report after getting into a physical altercation with an 8th-grade student. Ke n n e t h C a u l e y , 29, was taken into custody on Thursday and released on his own recognizance, according to jail records.
The incident occurred on Aug. 9, when Cauley, who is also a former assistant football coach and teacher for the Marion School District, confronted the student about vaping at school. The confrontation escalated into a physical altercation, with Cauley allegedly threatening the student, bumping him, and wrestling with him until another staff member intervened. Police reviewed video footage of the incident and determined Cauley was the aggressor, using profanity and calling the student a “whiner.”
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The student was initially taken into juvenile custody, but all charges against him have been dropped. Despite this, the student’s mother, Caderia Watkins, expressed concerns about his safety and is considering withdrawing him from the district.
West Memphis Schools have placed Cauley on administrative leave pending an internal investigation. The district has a strict policy against violence, and the police department is conducting a thorough and transparent investigation to ensure justice is served. The West Memphis School District confirmed that Cauley will remain on administrative leave until the investigation is concluded.
In a statement, the WMSD said, “The West Memphis School District is aware of the recent arrest of one of our teachers following an incident at Wonder Jr. High School. The safety and well-being of our students is our top priority, and we take any concern related to their well-being very seriously. We recognize that events like this can be upsetting for students and parents, and we are working cooperatively with the WMPD as this situation continues to evolve. We want to ensure parents and community members that we are focused on the safety of all our students within our school community and that we are committed to addressing this concern quickly and justly. All students should feel welcomed, safe and protected in our care.”
Cauley was scheduled to appear in District Court on Friday and was released on a $2,525 bond.
