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Judge reinstates Ponchatoula Jr. High teacher fired after caught on video restraining student

Barrilleaux was immediately reinstated upon the ruling, and will be fully "made whole" for his loss of salary, health insurance and other payments while fired.

AMITE CITY, La. — A judge ruled Monday that the Ponchatoula Jr. High coach who was fired after being filmed breaking up a fight at the school in March will get his job back. 

Arthur "Rusty" Barrilleaux was fired from his job as a health and physical education "lead teacher" in late April, after being removed in response to a video that went viral online.

In that video, Barrilleaux is seen pinning a 14-year-old student to the ground and yelling at her after he and another educator, Brett Chatelain, broke up a fight on campus. 

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RELATED: Teachers seen on video physically restraining student fired, report says

Both employees were fired after an internal investigation into the incident. Tangipahoa Schools Superintendent Melissa Stilley said they violated employee conduct policy by using excessive and unnecessary force.  

In May, Barrilleaux took to court to be reinstated in his position and receive lost salary from the firing. On Monday, 21st Judicial District Court Judge Brenda Ricks ruled in his favor.

"The Superintendent's ruling was "arbitrary" and,'capricious" because there was no substantial evidence to support her ruling; she disregarded certain evidence and failed to give other evidence its proper weight; and her decision to terminate Mr. Barrilleaux was contrary to the evidence that was substantiated and competent," Ricks wrote in her decision.

RELATED: Report: Fired Ponchatoula teacher filmed pinning student goes to court for job back

The judge also dismissed the issue raised that Barrilleaux's actions were racially motivated. 

"The Court does not find that to be a credible issue based upon the testimony of Mr. Barrilleaux (a teacher of 20 years) who testified that whether the students involved were boys or girls, and regardless of their race, he was reacting to the situation and protecting all individuals in the area," Ricks wrote. 

Barrilleaux was immediately reinstated upon the ruling, and will be fully "made whole" for his loss of salary, health insurance and other payments in the time he was fired.

After the firings, teachers at Ponchatoula Jr. High School walked out of their classrooms to protest lack of clear policy for how employees should break up fights with students on campus. 

RELATED: After firings, Ponchatoula Jr. High teachers walk out, won't intervene in student fights

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