Teacher on Leave After Knife Incident: Officials

School officials said it appears it was intended as a joke.

A Branford High School teacher is on administrative leave after displaying a knife during a class, school officials said, and police met with school officials on Tuesday.

“While we have not concluded our investigation, preliminary information is that the teacher displayed a knife in class. It appears that the teacher’s conduct was intended as a joke," Supt. Hamlet Hernandez said in a statement released over the weekend. "Nonetheless, Mr. Panagoulias (Principal Lee Panagoulias Jr.) and his staff took immediate steps to place the teacher on administrative leave pending the results of the investigation initiated by the school district,” Supt. Hamlet Hernandez said in a statement released over the weekend.

The teacher’s name has not been released, but parents of students who were in the room have been notified. School officials said a substitute teacher will be assigned.

Branford police went to the school on Tuesday and will conduct an investigation into the incident and determine whether the incident rises to level of a crime.

“The safety of our students is paramount; and to that end, we continue to work with the appropriate authorities to investigate this incident in a timely manner and take appropriate action as may be warranted when our investigation is complete,” Hernandez said.

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