Teacher accused of forcibly cutting kid's hair while singing 'Star Spangled Banner' in California class

Thursday, December 6, 2018
Visalia teacher now in jail after forcibly cutting student's hair while singing Star Spangled Banner
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VISALIA, California -- A high school teacher who's accused of forcibly cutting a student's hair in class was arrested.

Video surfaced Wednesday showing 52-year-old Margaret Gieszinger chasing students with scissors between desks while belting out the "Star Spangled Banner" at University Preparatory High School in Visalia, California.

The bizarre chain of events began during first period inside Gieszinger's chemistry class. Students told our sister station KFSN-TV that the teacher came into class with a pair of scissors, declaring it was "haircut day."

"We think she's going to try to be funny and be like, 'Oh, did you really think I was going to cut his hair?' But she did cut a hair off, and she started singing the 'Star Spangled Banner,' and she was singing it really loudly as she ceremoniously tossed a chunk of hair behind her," said a student who wanted to remain anonymous.

The student said he was sitting in the back of the classroom and ran to the main office for help.

"I hope I never have to see her at the school again because I know for a fact I can never see her as a respectable authority figure in my life," he said.

The video continues to show Gieszinger grabbing at another girl's hair before students begin running out of the classroom. Students claim they don't know what triggered her behavior but said she had a similar breakdown earlier this week.

"I know that on Monday she had another freak out because a test was missing or something. She accused the students of taking the test," the anonymous student said.

College of the Sequoias Police have since arrested Gieszinger on suspicion of corporal injury to a child. Her bail is set at $100,000.