A teacher at Malibu High School in Malibu, Calif., is under investigation after ninth-grade student Dionne Evans went to local authorities claiming the educator slapped her six times for not bringing her notebook to class, TMZ reports.
According to the police report, the teacher's actions were inspired by a popular 2011 movie. She allegedly moved Evans to the front of the class, asked "Did you see 'Bridesmaids?'" and slapped the student multiple times.
Now, the Special Victims Unit of the Los Angeles County Shefiff's office has launched an investigation into the incident.
Although the teacher has issued a written apology, the student's family has hired an attorney to consider civil and criminal options, the Santa Monica Daily Press reports.
The 'Bridesmaids' scene the teacher allegedly referred to involves one of the characters literally "slapping some sense" into another character.
WATCH the clip below:
The family's attorney, Donald Karpel, told the Santa Monica Daily Press that the ordeal has been traumatizing for Evans.
"My client has not been back to the class, she's been doing her school work in the library," Karpel told the paper. "She has been humiliated and devastated. She will be seeking counseling. It has been horrible."
The school district has not responded to requests for comment.
Last year, Florida art teacher Sandra Hadsock was under fire for punching one of her students in class. The charges were eventually dropped after a video of the incident showed the student first calling her obscene names and backing her into a wall.
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