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Football coach suspended for shoving student who passed gas in his class

Alexandria (Pa.) Juniata Valley High football coach Mike Smith remains suspended three weeks after allegedly shoving a student who passed gas in his science classroom, according to PennLive.com.

Smith, 45, faces criminal charges of harassment and criminal mischief for allegedly pushing a 16-year-old student into a wall, breaking a $212 thermostat and injuring the teen's shoulder on March 25.

This statement comes from an actual state police press release, according to PennLive.com: "On the above date and time the accused became angry after a known juvenile 'farted' in his classroom."

Smith led the Hornets football squad to a 6-5 record this past season. One former student speaking anonymously to WJAC-TV described Smith as "a very laid back teacher, cool guy, everyone like him." A change.org petition to keep Smith on staff at Juniata Valley has more than 350 signatures.

As Bellwood (Pa.)-Antis High softball coach Jim Payne wrote on the petition, "I guess the elephant in the room is, 'What would you do if a kid farted in your face?'" A philosophical conundrum as old as time itself.