The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that a school board member is defending his remarks following the assault of a teacher. A teacher tried to take a phone from a student, which sparked off a savage and brutal beating. Rather than holding the student (who as been charged with aggravated assault) accountable, school board member Reginald Malone blamed the victim.

Malone was quoted in Saturday's Times-Dispatch as saying the student's behavior was inappropriate. He also said, "You've got to be careful who you take the phone from," and suggested the teacher could have headed off a violent confrontation.

Teachers should try to figure out what they do to make the students hate them so much. Perhaps rather than be confrontational in taking the phone away, the teacher should have used 12 years of sanctions and U.N. inspectors to try to get the student to comply with school rules.