A 25-year veteran Bronx middle school teacher was awaiting arraignment yesterday on assault and child endangerment charges after being accused of thrusting a 10-year-old boy against a wall following a fight.
Jose Garcia, 47, a teacher at MS 390 in University Heights, was collared at the 46th Precinct station house late Wednesday after a school safety agent complained to police that Garcia was overly aggressive with the boy.
Police said Garcia grabbed the boy by the throat and threatened, “I could kill you.”
The alleged altercation, which left marks on the boy’s neck, took place as Garcia escorted the boy out of the cafeteria, where he was roughhousing with friends, officials said.
Department of Education spokesman Keith Kalb said Garcia has been reassigned to an administrative job outside the school pending the outcome of the charges and an internal investigation.
Kalb said Garcia has been employed by the school system since 1981 and appeared to have a clean record.