A music instructor at Four Georgians Elementary School who was accused of beating a 9-year-old disabled student in his classroom has been sued together with Helena Public Schools.

Following an altercation on March 7 in his classroom, Carson Christman Yahvah was accused of criminal assault on a juvenile and was charged on June 6. On July 27, a civil lawsuit was brought against Yahvah and the school system.

a letter to the Independent Record with a statement Yahvah has been teaching music at Helena Public Schools for the past nine years, according to her attorneys at Delli Bovi and Martin LLC in Helena. They acknowledged Yahvah’s involvement in the two cases and mentioned that the court had been given notifications of affirmative defenses in the criminal case.

“There is always more to every story,” the statement says. “As these matters are still ongoing, we have no further comment at this time. We look forward to our day in court.”

The Four Georgians Elementary School principal called a school resource officer on March 7 to report that Yahvah had been accused of attacking a pupil earlier that day, according to the affidavit of probable cause filed in Lewis and Clark County District Court as part of the criminal prosecution. The student’s mother and father were on their way to the school, the administrator informed the police, and Yahvah had been suspended.

Authorities were informed by school administrators that Yahvah became irate with the pupil because he refused to accept responsibility for scratching another student during a music class.

“The Defendant reacted by gripping (the student’s) neck and shoulders in such a way as to bring (the student’s) head or face to eye level and with his hands still on (the student’s) neck and shoulders, he removed (the student) from the classroom and left him in the hallway,” the affidavit says, adding that Yahvah yelled at the student during the altercation.

Red markings on the student’s neck were documented by the principal in photographs, which the police later acquired. The mother of the student also gave police pictures of the red marks.

Red markings on the student’s neck were documented by the principal in photographs, which the police later acquired. The mother of the student also gave police pictures of the red marks.

The day of the incident, Yahvah informed an officer over the phone that the student was beginning to “get in other people’s faces and not listen to directions.” He claimed that when Yahvah summoned the student over to him to express his regret for scratching another youngster, the student seemed to ignore him and declined to say anything.

When the officer heard this, according to Yahvah, he became furious and grabbed the kid by the neck and shoulders, forcing him to the hallway desk. Yahvah claimed that after realizing that his actions weren’t the best, he apologized to the pupil and begged for his pardon.

The court entered a plea of “not guilty” on Yahvah’s behalf as part of the arraignment. Oct. 31 at 9 a.m. is the time for the jury trial. Yahvah told the court through his attorneys that he intends to employ the affirmative defense of reasonable use of force and present proof of his good character during the course of the trial.

Yahvah faces a maximum penalty of five years in jail and a fine of $50,000 if found guilty of felony assault on a child.

The District Court-filed civil lawsuit claims that the student Yahvah is accused of assaulting has a number of problems, including “Emotional Disturbance.” The student “is quite disruptive in class,” according to an individualized education plan created for him in November, and “requires staff support to engage and keep him on target.”

According to the lawsuit, the boy claimed to his parents that Yahvah had previously verbally and physically harassed him, and that after the alleged assault in March, other pupils had teased and taunted him.

The lawsuit further claims that instead of dismissing Yahvah following the alleged attack, Helena Public Schools transferred him to another primary school.

Rex Weltz, the superintendent of Helena Public Schools, announced on Monday that Yahvah is out of the classroom and on unpaid leave. Yahvah was pulled from the classroom when the criminal charge was filed, and she won’t be in the classroom throughout any criminal procedures, Weltz added, despite the fact that the school district is “tied to a level of confidentiality while investigations take place.”

In the lawsuit, Yahvah is charged with assault and battery, Helena Public Schools is held strictly liable for the assault, the school district is accused of negligently hiring and supervising the teacher, both defendants are charged with negligently causing emotional distress, and the school district is also accused of failing to provide adequate security for the student while on its property.

In addition to punitive damages from Yahvah “to punish him and others from misusing his position of trust to harm students and children,” the lawsuit asks for compensatory damages from both defendants in an amount to be established at trial.

Last known contact information

Address: 423 Barney St Helena, MT 59602
Phone: (406) 465-4848
Email: carson.yahvah@gmail.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/carso115/videos
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carson.yahvah