A New Jersey teacher’s heroic act to shield a student from a brutal attack exposes the shocking reality of violence in our schools and the extraordinary lengths educators must go to protect our children.
At a Glance
- Teacher Cathy Hurley used her body as a shield to protect a student from five attackers
- Incident occurred at William Shemin Midtown Community School in Bayonne, NJ
- An 18-year-old and four juveniles have been charged with aggravated assault
- The victim was hospitalized with serious injuries
Teacher Becomes Human Shield in Shocking School Attack
In a world where our schools are increasingly becoming battlegrounds, one brave teacher has shown us what true heroism looks like. Cathy Hurley, a dedicated educator at William Shemin Midtown Community School in Bayonne, New Jersey, found herself thrust into a nightmare scenario when she witnessed a student being viciously attacked by five assailants. Instead of cowering in fear or running for help, Hurley did something that would make even the most hardened soldier think twice – she used her own body as a human shield to protect the fallen student.
The incident, caught on video, shows Hurley covering the unconscious student with her body, desperately trying to stop the onslaught of kicks and punches.
Despite her efforts, one attacker managed to land a brutal kick to the victim’s head before fleeing the scene. It’s a chilling reminder of the violence that can erupt in our schools at any moment, leaving our children vulnerable and our teachers facing impossible choices.
A New Jersey educator saw a student being attacked by a group of other teenagers and used her own body to shield him. Her daughter tells @alecia__reid her mother didn't hesitate to step in.
https://t.co/imMsve0M8d— CBS New York (@CBSNewYork) October 26, 2024
A Mother’s Shock, A Daughter’s Pride
The gravity of the situation hit home when Hurley’s daughter, Frankie Sielski, recognized her mother in the viral video. The raw emotion in Sielski’s voice is palpable as she recounts her mother’s ordeal.
“I was truly in shock because of how vicious the attack is, I Facetimed her immediately. Her eyes were welled up with tears, I said ‘Are you OK?’ She said something very bad happened,” she said.
It’s just incredible bravery…but equally so terrible that violence like this occurs in our schools of all places.
