California teacher accused of threatening violence against student in secretly recorded video

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (KTLA) – A Southern California high school teacher was placed on leave Monday after allegedly threatening violence against a female student in a video that went viral on social media.

Robert Bean, an English teacher at Cajon High School in San Bernardino, was being secretly recorded by a student during class earlier this week.

The TikTok video begins with a text overlay reading, “A 53-year-old man saying this to a junior in high school.”

In the video, Bean is heard shouting, at one point saying, “…because she thinks she’s funny. She’s a rude, defiant little brat kid that I just want to slam her face up against the wall.”

Once the video was posted, both former and current students flooded the video’s comment section about issues they’ve experienced with Bean as well.

It’s unknown what prompted Bean’s comments in the video, but some students said he’s well-known for making inappropriate comments.

One student told KTLA that Bean crossed a line when he specifically threatened a student during the rant.

“Not only was it unprofessional, that shouldn’t have been on campus at all,” said Mia Munoz, a senior at Cajon High School.

Megan Soult, a former student who graduated from Cajon High 12 years ago, recalled an incident with Bean when he learned she was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease in high school. 

“He embarrassed me, he humiliated me in front of my entire class, with my not only very private, but my very personal medical information,” Soult recalled. “To see this come up this many years later and hear about how many people have brought this to the attention of the administrative staff at the school and nothing has still been done is just baffling.”

The San Bernardino City Unified School District has since issued a statement in response to the video.

“We have been monitoring the same social media posts and are aware of the comments. We have opened an investigation and posted a phone number where families can share relevant information to become part of the investigation. Families can call SBCUSD Employee Relations at 909-381-1123.”

Bean was placed on administrative leave on Monday as the district continues its investigation.