Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

The Freethinker

Home
Nonreligious
Educator facing assault charges forfeits his teaching licence

Educator facing assault charges forfeits his teaching licence

Last updated on: August 7, 2021 at 5:57 pm by Barry Duke

Educator facing assault charges forfeits his teaching licence 2021-08-07T17:57:33+02:00 Barry Duke

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Image via Facebook

BACK in May we reported on the arrest of Kansas State Representative and substitute teacher, Mark Samsel, above. During a lesson on mental health he lost his cool and allegedly assaulted two pupils, kneeing one in the groin.

The Kansas City Star now reports that Samsel, who faces trial on August 16 for three misdemeanor battery charges involving two victims at Wellsville’s high school, has forfeited his teaching license.

Numerous videos taken by students during the April lesson day show Samsel ranting about God, the Bible, masturbation and suicide.

Samsel, claims that after the incident he began receiving mental health treatment and is giving up his substitute teaching license after “extreme stress, pressure and agitation” prompted an “isolated episode of mania with psychotic features.”

In a Facebook post shared with The Star on Wednesday, Samsel, a Wellsville Republican, said the stress was at its worst during April and May, when the Kansas Legislature was in session.

The Facebook post marks Samsel’s first public acknowledgment that April’s events stemmed from mental health struggles.

After multiple visits with mental health professionals over the past three months and studying ways to handle stress, Samsel said:

There is no likelihood that it will happen again.

The Star says it’s possible Samsel will reach an agreement with prosecutors. His attorney, Christopher Scott, told a judge during his last court appearance on July 12 that he had been “hoping to maybe have some resolution of this matter” by the July court date.

During an interview with investigators shortly after the incident, Samsel described a chaotic classroom with misbehaving students and said he had begun to lose his temper “a little bit,” according to an affidavit used to charge him in Franklin County District Court.

The students had Samsel at his “wit’s end,” he told the officers.

Samsel claims he “barely grabbed” one student and told the student to give him space and said he had heard the student had a bruise.He put this down to God “working in mysterious ways.”

In May, Samsel pleaded not guilty to the charges and a judge ordered him to undergo a mental health evaluation.

Please report any typos/errors to [email protected]

If you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee – and boy, do I get through a LOT of coffee keeping this site active – please click the link below.

I’d love a cup of coffee

Previous Post

August 6, 2021

Creationist fraudster arrested for assaulting estranged wife

Next Post

August 8, 2021 Atheist parolee wrongly returned jail for refusing to pray

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Archive My Atheism News Opinion Reviews Uncategorized

Select a Month December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 March 2007 April 2006 February 2006

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What British monarch is also Supreme Governor of the Church of England?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Pope Prime Minister Archbishop of Canterbury The King/Queen of England

Books by This Author Books by The Freethinker

See All Titles »