A mother is demanding accountability after an incident at her son’s North Philadelphia school earlier this week left him with multiple injuries, including the loss of a tooth.
Montrena Bennett shared with NBC10 that her 12-year-old son, Peyton, was involved in a physical altercation at KIPP Preparatory Academy in North Philadelphia on Monday, October 20, 2025.
Bennett said that Peyton had asked a staff member if he could use the bathroom, and ended up being punched in the face so hard it knocked his tooth out.
“He wasn’t trying to leave class. He wasn’t trying to cut class. He was at lunch, trying to go to the bathroom,” said Bennett.
A spokesperson with KIPP Philadelphia Public Schools tells NBC10 an initial investigation resulted in the termination of the staff member who was involved.
“I asked to go to the bathroom. He didn’t let me go to the bathroom. He kept getting in my way, so I tried to get past him. He got in front of me many times, then he put me in a headlock,” Peyton shared.
Doctors were able to save Peyton’s tooth and reattach it. Bennett said he also had to get stitches for a split lip and will likely need surgery in the near future to deal with the physical injuries.
“I couldn’t protect my child in that moment. Like, I couldn’t protect my child,” Bennett expressed.
KIPP Philadelphia released a statement regarding the incident, which reads in part:
“What happened was unacceptable and in direct opposition to our values and expectations. Our hearts are with the student and family. We understand the pain this has caused and are committed to supporting them through this difficult time. Every child deserves to feel safe, cared for, and protected at school, and we take that responsibility seriously.”
“I need more than just an ‘I’m sorry,’ because that doesn’t work with my son, like, I can’t just look at my son every day like, ‘the school said they’re sorry.’ No. That’s unacceptable. That’s so unacceptable,” said Bennett.
At this time, no charges have been filed against the staff member.
Bennett shared that she is in the process of finding a new school for Peyton.
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