Florida Teacher Arrested For Blasting Music During Standardized Test

A Florida middle school teacher was taken into custody Tuesday (April 5) for blaring music to disrupt students taking a standardized test, according to WFTV.

Martin Reese, now a former art teacher at Creekside Middle School, is accused of playing loud music while students were taking the Florida Statewide Assessments, according to Port Orange Police. On top of that, the whole affair was reportedly livestreamed on Instagram.

When officers responded to the school that afternoon, Reese allegedly refused to turn off the music and was escorted to the principal's office. The teacher, who was hired three weeks ago, says he was disgusted at the students' situation. He claims it's "unfair" to make students sit in a classroom after two years of grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic to take a test that would be retired after this spring.

"I think that’s unfair," he says in the video. "I f***ed up the way that they were testing today."

Reese explained in the video that loud music would make it hard for students to concentrate. The art teacher then reasoned that they could just get another opportunity to take the test if they complained.

“That means that all of these tests have to be thrown out, because you can’t possibly put that type of pressure and weight upon a student because of what a teacher did,” Reese says.

Eventually, a school administrator reportedly came to Reese's class and tried reasoning with the teacher. Soon, Port Orange Police was brought in to escort Reese to the principal's office, causing a disturbance on the way there, according to authorities.

Reporters say the school was also put on lockdown during the incident, but no weapons were involved and there was no danger.

Reese was charged with disrupting a school function and disorderly conduct. WFTV added that he's since bonded out of jail and was dismissed from his position with Creekside Middle.