US teacher arrested after video shows her slapping student

A veteran teacher in the US state of Texas has been arrested after a video of her repeatedly slapping a student and calling him an "idiot ass" went viral online.
Mary Hastings, a teacher at Ozen High School in Beaumont, Texas, was arrested after a cellphone video of the incident surfaced on Twitter.
The footage shows Hastings striking the student five times and mocking him, calling him an "idiot ass", FOX 4 Beaumont reported.
Beaumont Independent School District (BISD) police and administrators are investigating the teacher after video surfaced online of her hitting the student in class.
Students in Mary Hasting's math class on Friday recorded her hitting a student multiple times before mimicking him.

Hastings was arrested by police and taken to the Jefferson County Jail. She bonded out on USD 2,500 and is charged with assault.

Although Hastings is a veteran teacher, she has only been in the district for three years.
Hastings is charged with misdemeanour assault and could possibly face jail time.
In a statement, the school district condemned the teacher's actions, stating that "the District is committed to providing a safe and secure environment for our students. BISD does not condone employees abusing any child and will not tolerate such conduct."
Hastings is on administrative leave with pay until the investigation into the video is complete.