Miami ‘Spartan Kick’ Claim Turns Rockway Middle Hallway Into Crime Scene Question Mark
Parents of a 13-year-old Rockway Middle School student say a teacher “Spartan-kicked” their son in a school hallway in mid-December, leaving the boy bruised and triggering a child welfare report and an internal district review. The family says they took the teenager to a hospital the next day and has been pressing Miami-Dade County Public Schools for accountability. Prosecutors reviewed the case and ultimately declined to file criminal charges.
What the police paperwork shows
According to a Miami-Dade Schools Police incident report, the encounter happened on December 19, 2025, at Rockway Middle School and was captured on school video. The report states that the teacher struck the student’s arm with his shin, causing the student to crouch and appear to have a visible bruise. The assistant principal reviewed the footage and gathered witness statements, according to the report, and the family later took the boy to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. A doctor there reported the episode to the Florida Department of Children and Families. The incident report is available in full in the public file.
Miami New Times reports that the school did not contact law enforcement on the day of the incident and instead opened an internal inquiry after the family complained.
Teacher’s account and the prosecutor’s review
The teacher, Alejandro Suarez, who chairs Rockway’s social studies department, provided a written statement acknowledging that he “swiped” his leg in the student’s direction. According to school records cited by Miami New Times, Suarez also told investigators, “I didn't assault you...but I can show you what assault is.”
The Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office later informed the family it would not pursue criminal charges. In an email relayed to the family, Tim VanderGiesen, chief of the office’s Public Corruption Unit, wrote that the video showed the teacher “appearing to try to kick Michael in his buttocks area with minimal force” and that, under the circumstances, a “de minimis kick to the buttocks does not rise to the level of a crime.” For context on VanderGiesen’s role and unit, see the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office.
Policy and reporting duties
Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ code of student conduct expressly prohibits corporal punishment and outlines district procedures for responding to alleged assaults and other safety incidents. The Code of Student Conduct instructs schools to document incidents, involve parents and, when appropriate, coordinate with DCF and law enforcement during investigations. Federal and state rules, along with Chapter 1006 of Florida law, set out reporting channels and require districts to adopt procedures for notifying law enforcement in certain school safety and criminal conduct cases.
See the district code for details in the Miami-Dade County Public Schools handbook, and review the state rules summarized by the Florida Senate.
Family response and next steps
Michael’s sister, Melissa Aguila, told Miami New Times she believes the school mishandled the case and that Suarez stayed on campus after the incident until the family complained. She said the family plans to file a civil lawsuit against both the district and the teacher. The Miami-Dade Schools Police report confirms the family sought medical attention and that a physician at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital filed a DCF intake, which led to the district police investigation.
The district says its internal review is ongoing and, according to the family’s account to reporters, is expected to wrap up sometime this summer. The district has not publicly confirmed the suspension details the family has cited in media interviews.
