Teacher charged with beating, choking 12-year-old is sixth CPS employee accused of assaulting students this school year

A shocking incident has recently come to light involving a Chicago Public Schools teacher who is accused of physically assaulting a 12-year-old student in a South Side classroom. Alayne Pierce-Collins, 37, is facing serious felony charges of aggravated battery of a child causing great bodily harm and aggravated battery of a child by strangulation causing great bodily harm. This disturbing incident took place on December 12, 2025, at Pershing Magnet School in the Douglas neighborhood.

According to court records, Pierce-Collins allegedly grabbed the young boy in her classroom, dragged him, and proceeded to strike him in the face multiple times. This resulted in bruising, swelling around one eye, and cuts on both sides of his face. The child was left visibly injured from the brutal attack. Moreover, prosecutors have revealed that Pierce-Collins even placed the student in a chokehold, depriving him of the ability to breathe. Shockingly, this violent episode was witnessed by other students and school staff members.

Despite the severity of the charges against her, Judge Rivanda Doss Beal opted not to detain Pierce-Collins pending trial. Instead, she was released with standard conditions, including an order to stay away from the child. The Chicago Public Schools system has yet to respond to requests for information and comments regarding this disturbing incident.

This shocking case adds to a concerning trend of criminal charges being filed against CPS employees for physically or sexually assaulting students during the current school year. Some of the other incidents include a former special education classroom assistant charged with grooming a 13-year-old student, a former security guard charged with sexual assault of two female students, a substitute special education aide charged with aggravated battery of a child, a teacher charged with aggravated battery of a child, and a special education assistant charged with aggravated battery of a child.

These disturbing incidents highlight the importance of vigilance and accountability within the education system to ensure the safety and well-being of students. It is crucial for authorities to take swift and decisive action in response to such egregious behavior to prevent future harm to vulnerable children.