A Florida high school student is recovering from injuries after a teacher slammed her to the ground during a pep rally game of musical chairs, an incident that has sparked an internal investigation and possible legal action, as reported [1] by The Daily Mail.
The incident occurred at Westside High School in Jacksonville, where 16-year-old Nyla Millikan participated in the game against a male teacher. Video posted online shows the teacher closely following Millikan around a chair as the music played.
Florida Teacher In Big Trouble For Body Slamming Student During Musical Chairshttps://t.co/BSD1Q5BiEv [2] pic.twitter.com/GytoTSaUik [3]
— NewsToter (@NewsToter) August 27, 2025 [4]
When the music stopped, Millikan lunged for the seat. The teacher fell but then pulled her off the chair, pushing her to the floor and causing her head to hit the gym’s laminate flooring.
Bystanders rushed to help Millikan as the teacher returned to the chair and celebrated his win. “He was a little too close to me from the beginning, from behind,” Millikan told News4JAX.
Her mother, Joanna, said the school initially described the incident as a “scuffle” when officials called her. But when Millikan got into the car “crying and in pain,” Joanna said she realized the injuries were serious and took her daughter to the emergency room.
Doctors diagnosed Millikan with a concussion and bruised ribs. The injuries forced her to miss classes this week. “Nobody should… ever have to deal with their kid going to the emergency room just for a teacher tackling their student on the ground over musical chairs,” Joanna said.
The family has retained attorney Gary Englander to pursue legal action against the school and Duval County Public Schools. “From the video, this incident should not have occurred,” Englander told reporters.
“The teacher should never have put his hands on her and taken her to the ground. We’re going to continue to work with the family and will take appropriate actions.”
Joanna said she has since spoken with the school principal. She described the conversation as productive, noting that he admitted to watching the video himself. According to her, he told her he “did not expect that out of that young man” and that “measures are being taken.”
District officials confirmed that the teacher has been reassigned to non-student duties while the investigation proceeds.
The Duval County Public Schools Office of Personnel Standards is handling the review but has declined to release additional details, citing the ongoing status of the case.
The Millikan family continues to push for accountability as the investigation moves forward. Nyla remains under medical care while recovering from her injuries.