GREENSBURG — The parents of a St. Helena student say a teacher accused of battery against the girl should face additional charges.

Carlos Burns said his 13-year-old daughter came home from St. Helena's Career and College Academy on Wednesday with chunks of hair missing and blamed teacher Ambria Cook, who has been arrested for simple battery.

"She texted me first to say, 'Dad, my hair was gone. She pulled my hair out,'" he said. "It's heartbreaking. She's a girl with pretty hair."

Burns said his daughter has a special education plan for special needs and behavioral disorders. Parents said the girl was taunted by her teacher and struck Cook first.

"She's a good kid but if you corner her up and she feels like she's being threatened she's going to come after you. I think the teachers knew that, I think she pushed her buttons to see how far it would go and it went there," Burns said.

Burns said the situation should never have escalated.

"Get some help, don't go back fighting with her. You're 20-something and my daughter's 13 years old — half your age — so that part there shouldn't have happened," Burns said.

He said his daughter is in therapy to help regulate any emotional outbursts.

"She was doing what her therapist told her to do, she shut down and was quiet, and [Cook] kept talking, kept going," Burns said.

Cook was arrested for simple battery.

The court date for Cook is being set for October. As of Sunday, the student did not face any charges.

“First and foremost, it is essential to acknowledge that both parties were in the wrong," Superintendent Kelli Joseph said. "As educators, we are entrusted with the responsibility to de-escalate situations, not escalate them.

"Our role is to guide and support our learners, even in moments of conflict. On the other hand, learners should also understand that under no circumstances is it acceptable to physically confront a teacher," she said. "This incident serves as a powerful reminder of what we must strive to avoid in our interactions with them."