Twelve-year-old Joseph Santiago has a bruise on his left leg that is healing, but his faith in teachers may be hurting him the most.
Santiago said his teacher, 44-year-old Kevin Martin, was in a rage when he threw a chair at him.
"He was about two feet away from me and he threw it. As he threw it, one of the legs hit me," he said.
The chair left bruises that required medical attention. The 12-year-old was taken from school to the hospital.
Santiago's mother is furious.
"He ended up black and blue. Regardless of anything, I understand that you are angry, but throwing furniture around is not going to help," Maria Santiago said.
Police have charged Martin with reckless endangerment.
The Department of Education placed him on administrative duties.
The teachers' union said Martin did not target Santiago. The union said the teacher slammed the chair on the floor and it bounced, hitting the student.
One day later, Santiago is trying to turn the page on the incident, while his mother expresses her frustration at the teacher who let her son down.
"If he is not able to response to his talking back, then he should not be teaching. Period," she said.
Martin was released from police custody while the investigation continues.
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