Mesa police officers have arrested American Leadership Academy (ALA) teacher Nathan Hansen for aggravated assault.
According to the Mesa Police Department, on November 6, 2025, shortly after 3:00 p.m., Mesa Police Officers were dispatched to American Leadership Academy on the 7000 block of Pecos Road in Mesa AZ, following a report that a teacher had physically assaulted a student.
Officers learned that the teacher, identified as the 52-year-old Hansen, was involved in a physical altercation with a 14-year-old male student during a physical education class during school hours. According to initial reports, the incident occurred after the student approached Nathan and attempted to take a phone from his hand. Nathan then allegedly pushed the student to the ground and then dragged him by the back of his hoodie.
Detectives from the Mesa Police Special Victims Unit were notified and assisted with the investigation. Surveillance video reviewed by detectives showed Nathan shoving the student to the ground, grabbing him by the back of his hoodie, and dragging him off the basketball court before sliding him against the bleachers. The student suffered minor injuries as a result.
After reviewing the footage and conducting interviews, investigators determined there was probable cause to arrest Nathan for aggravated assault by an adult on a minor under 15 years of age. Nathan was contacted at his residence, interviewed, and subsequently arrested for aggravated assault.
There’s probably more to this story. But if someone tries to grab my phone i will push them away. As far dragging him off Court.. it seems like the student wanted a confrontation. I’m on the side of the Coach at this point.
Society was better when you were so fearful of the a**-beating you would get at home for disrespecting a teacher that you kept your big mouth shut when you did wrong. Since the student “attempted to take a phone from [Hansen’s] hand” is this little punk going to be charged under 15-507 (Abuse of teacher or school employee in school)? As a minor, do his (absent?) parents get charged, too? Primarily, this is a failure of the principle and head disciplinarian that students would even consider such actions.
The student approached the teacher and attempted to take a phone from his hand. Sounds like the disrespectful little punk got exactly what he deserved.
agree! I do remember the ‘board of education – being applied to the seat of learning’ in not so infrequent incidence. Not sure it helped, but it did leave a mark.