Mother blames Chicago Public Schools after alleged teacher attack on 12-year-old son

CHICAGO - A Chicago mother is demanding accountability from Chicago Public Schools after she says her 12-year-old son was violently assaulted by his science teacher inside a South Side elementary school classroom.

The backstory:

According to court records and police reports, 37-year-old Alayne Pierce-Collins, a teacher at Pershing Magnet School in the 3200 block of S. Calumet Avenue, has been charged with felony aggravated battery of a child causing great bodily harm and aggravated battery by strangulation causing great bodily harm.

The alleged incident happened on December 12, 2025, at approximately 10:40 a.m. inside the school.

Malachi’s mother, Markeita Brown, says she did not learn about the alleged attack until nearly four hours later.

"I wasn't informed about the incident until approximately 2 o'clock p.m.," Brown said during a press conference.

What they're saying:

Brown says she initially believed her son had been involved in an altercation with another student. She claims school administrators later informed her the incident involved one of his teachers.

"He was dragged on the stairs. He was trying to come to notify the principal of what happened," Brown said. "She dragged him. She started punching him. She choked him, she strangled him and she assaulted my child."

"The assistant principal told me that my child had scars on his arm," Brown continued. "But when I finally came home, he had bruises on the left side of his eye. He had blood clots underneath the eye and on the top, and he had long scratches on the side of his face. When I sent my child to school earlier that morning, he was in perfect good health."

"These are the images that Malachi’s mother captured of his injuries," supporters said during the press conference, referencing photos that allegedly showed redness, bruising, swelling around one eye, and scratches on the child’s face.

Brown says Malachi was afraid to return to school following the incident.

"I feel she should not be teaching at no elementary school or she shouldn't be working with kids, period," Brown said. "Your number one rule as a teacher, you are there to protect our kids."

Brown also criticized what she described as a delayed response by the school, saying the teacher was placed on suspension but "nothing happened right away."

The school issued a statement on the incident to parents and families of students, saying: 

"The safety of your children is always our top priority, which is why I must inform you of a situation that has recently come to light. There has been an allegation that one of our staff members engaged in an improper relationship with a student. The allegation does not involve sexual misconduct. An investigation has been initiated by the Office of Student Protections and Title IX (OSP), and this individual has been removed pending the outcome of the investigation. The family of the impacted student has been notified, and support is available to the student.

"Based on the information gathered during the OSP investigation, a final determination will be made regarding whether this individual is appropriate to return to our school. 

"Please know that we are taking this situation seriously, and we remain committed to providing your children with a safe, positive learning environment where they can reach their full potential. While I am unable to discuss details regarding the investigation, I am always available to discuss steps the district takes to keep students safe and matters related to your child. Please feel free to contact me at SAGiwa@cps.edu or (773) 534-9272 if you have any questions or concerns. If you have any concerns related to student protections, you can contact the Office of Student Protections and Title IX at (773) 535-4400."

What's next:

Pierce-Collins declined to comment on the allegations. Her next court date is set for June 1.