A Georgia teacher faces a battery charge after he allegedly choked an alternative school student for not properly tucking in his shirt.

Sharon Hepburn contends teacher Keith Evans clamped down on her 14-year-old son’s neck during an altercation at DeKalb Alternative School last November, and the ordeal started when the teacher insisted the child tuck in his shirt correctly, WSB-TV reports.

MORE NEWS: From Classroom to Consulate Chef: Culinary Student Lands Dream Job at U.S. Embassy in Paris

“He was like, ‘Just tuck your shirt in.’ … The way it was tucked in – it wasn’t the way he wanted it to be,” Hepburn said.

The conflict devolved to violence, she said, and her son, Julian Butler, was ultimately left with deep bruises around his neck and a simple battery charge. Hepburn shared images of the injuries with the television station, as well as a judge who ultimately compelled officials to charge Evans with the same crime three months after the incident, WSB-TV reports.

A picture of Evans published by WSB-TV shows he’s an intimidating figure with bulging biceps, much larger than the teen student.

“I was hurt. It actually made me cry because that’s not what I send my son to school for,” Hepburn said. “I get to the school and find out that one of his teachers had grabbed around his neck, choked him and slammed his head on the desk.”

MORE NEWS: Know These Before Moving From Cyprus To The UK

Evans’ attorney is denying the boy’s injuries stemmed from the altercation last fall and alleges the mother is plotting revenge against the teacher for her son’s legal troubles.

“My client was attacked first and that’s the part of this entire scenario that’s so confusing, so sad,” attorney Yari D. Lawson said. “The mother’s upset her kid was charged with simple battery for attacking my client, so now she’s trying to get back at my client.”

Hepburn believes the way Evans handled her son was wrong, regardless of the child’s misbehavior.

“Whether he ran his mouth or not, that still don’t give the teacher the right to grab him around the neck,” Hepburn said.

Officials with the DeKalb County School District confirmed that Evans was removed from the classroom as a result of the criminal charge, and he’s now on paid leave. District officials offered little else.

“The safety and security of our students is a top priority. The DeKalb County School District places a great effort in creating a safe learning environment for its students,” the statement read. “An investigation of the allegations have resulted in Mr. Evans being placed on paid administrative leave at this time.”