Robert Smalls teacher charged with assault, returns to school

This story was updated Dec. 1 to correct the date Arthur Elliot returned to teaching.

An eighth grade social studies teacher charged with assault and battery after allegedly slapping and pushing a student in September returned to classroom teaching Oct. 8 after being placed on administrative leave.

Arthur Elliot, 51, was charged Nov. 23 with third degree assault and battery after he allegedly slapped a student on the head and pushed him Sept. 16 at Robert Smalls International Academy. Elliot was released Nov. 24 from the Beaufort County Detention Center.

The male student's father filed a report with the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office on the day of the incident.

The victim told deputies Elliot hit him with an open right hand on the left side of his face in the school's copy room, the report said. Elliot then used both hands to push the student into the copy machine and cursed at him, the report said.

It is unclear from the report what prompted the altercation.

The school's surveillance cameras were not in a position to capture the alleged assault, the report said.

A female student walking in the hallway around the time of the alleged assault told deputies she passed Elliot and the victim, the report said.

In her written statement, she said she heard Elliot yelling at the victim. She also said she heard the teacher say: "You're acting a damn fool. I'll beat the hell out of you. I'll get your grandma and beat you in front of her," the report said.

The student continued down the hall and Elliot took the victim into the copy room as she passed, the report said.

She then heard a "loud pop like skin on skin," the report said.

When a deputy attempted to contact Elliot on Nov. 14 for an interview, he took the deputy's information and said an interview was a "possibility," the report said.

He said he would not discuss the accusation with deputies without an attorney present, the report said.

Four days later, after calling Elliot again and failing to get in touch with him, a deputy obtained an arrest warrant and served him with it Nov. 23.

Beaufort County School District spokesman Jim Foster said Monday that Elliot was placed on paid administrative leave from Sept. 17 to Oct. 7.

When asked whether Elliot is facing any other type of reprimand or administrative action, Foster said he could not discuss personnel issues.

Elliot is expected in Beaufort County Court at 10 a.m. Dec. 9, according to the court's website.

The alleged victim was moved to a different school after the incident, the Sheriff's Office report said.

Attempts made Monday to contact his family and Elliot were unsuccessful.

Follow Caitlin Turner on Twitter at twitter.com/Cait_E_Turner.

This story was originally published November 30, 2015 at 3:15 PM with the headline "Robert Smalls teacher charged with assault, returns to school."