Teen beaten by teacher says she’s afraid to go back to school

A Texas teen who was pummeled by a substitute teacher last week says she’s now too terrified to return to the classroom, according to a report.

The 16-year-old special-needs girl, identified only as Savannah, said she’s still recovering from the vicious beatdown she received on Nov. 8 from teacher Tiffani Shadell Lankford during a foreign language class at Lehman High School in Kyle, .

“I’m scared just to even set foot in the school or even outside,” she said. “Like even a couple days [ago], I went outside – I would cover my face with my hoodie because I was scared.”

Savannah, who plays basketball at the school, said the extent of her brain injury following the attack is still unclear despite visits to a neurologist, neuropsychologist and a trauma specialist. Exactly when she’ll return to classes is also up in the air, she said.

“I’ve had lots of headaches,” the teen told KVUE. “I’m very sensitive to light, very hard to think and I have lots of anxiety.”

The teen, who already suffered from seizures prior to the incident, said Lankford told students to “shut the f–k up” after walking into the classroom.

“We got quiet and then she started bragging about herself,” Savannah recalled. “I turned around to my group of friends and said, ‘Well, you’re not going to make money talking to students like that,’ and that’s when she got up in my face and said, ‘What did you say?’”

Savannah pushed Lankford’s shoulder at one point to get the teacher out of her personal space, sending the confrontation to another level, she recalled.

“She pinned me against the wall and started choking me, and then that’s when I slapped her to get her off of me,” the teen said. “And that’s when she started punching me repeatedly and then I forgot everything from there because I blacked out.”

Lankford, 32, of San Marcos, was fired and charged with aggravated assault after footage of the in-class attack went viral. She can be seen punching the teen before pulling her away from a desk and stomping on her head.

If convicted, Lankford faces up to 20 years in prison.

With Post wires