Suit tossed alleging threat by teacher

BENTONVILLE — A judge on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit brought by parents accusing a high school teacher of threatening their daughter.

Benton County Circuit Judge Christine Horwart signed an order ending the lawsuit against the Bentonville School District and John Jeffrey, a geometry teacher at Bentonville West High School.

Charles and Kisha Gilchrist filed the lawsuit in May. The couple filed a motion last week requesting that the lawsuit be dismissed.

“We’re pleased with today’s ruling and will continue to support our teachers when baseless claims are levied against them,” said Leslee Wright, director of communications for the district.

The couple’s daughter was a student in Jeffrey’s eighth-period geometry class, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit claimed the class laughed at how Jeffrey said the word “quadrilateral,” and he turned to the Gilchrists’ daughter and another student with his hand balled up in a fist and shaking and said he would punch both of them in the nose.

Their daughter told Jeffrey his statement was a threat, and Jeffrey replied it wasn’t a threat, but a promise, according to the complaint.

Jeffrey asked the girl after class why she looked angry, and she told him he had threatened her and he “gives her bad anxiety,” according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit claimed the girl told Jeffrey her mother had talked with him before about how he spoke to her and that Jeffrey laughed and said he remembered.

Jonathon Guthrie, the school’s principal, met with Kisha Gilchrist and her daughter about the situation, explained that Jeffrey was being sarcastic and said he would talk with him and pull the girl from his class, according to the lawsuit.