Oakland high school football coach on leave after alleged fight with student

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- A Hayward man who teaches and coaches football at an Oakland high school has been put on leave after video surfaced of him in an apparent violent altercation with a student. It happened on a bus after a McClymonds High School football game.

It's a video that shows what first looks like a heated discussion between a coach and player and then apparently quickly escalates to violence.

"We're extremely disappointed by our preliminary impression," said Oakland Unified School District spokesperson Troy Flint.

According to the Oakland Unified School District, the student is a senior at the high school and the adults is junior varsity football coach De'Carlos Anderson.

The incident happened on Sept. 19 as McClymonds was returning from a game in Crescent City.

"Based on the visual evidence we have now, it appears the first physical contact was initiated by the adult and that's the main area of concern," said Flint. "There was an opportunity to de-escalate before the push occurred."

Flint told ABC7 News there is an investigation underway to determine what precipitated the fight and also why it wasn't reported to the principal or district before the video suddenly appeared on Twitter.

Anderson has been a physical education teacher and coach at McClymonds for four years. Before that, he worked with kids at various organizations, including the YMCA.

By telephone, Anderson told ABC7 News: "I love children and I don't do this work for as long as I have if you're not passionate about the children and the work that I've done."

When asked if there will be any discipline or consequence for the student, Flint says, "No, not at this time."

Anderson is on paid leave pending the outcome of the district's investigation.