***Warning. Video contains material that some may find disturbing due to its graphic nature.***
OCALA, Fla.-- A mother says her son, a freshman at Forest High, was made to stand with his fellow classmates and drown two raccoons and a possum.
"It made me sick to my stomach. It's terrible. It still does make me sick to my stomach," said the parent who did not wish to be identified.
She wanted to remain anonymous, but she didn't want her story to.
"One of the raccoons ate a chicken that they were raising so the teacher pinned the raccoons. Caught them in cages. Took the cages, filled up large trash cans full of water and had the children drown the raccoons in the cages inside the water. Inside the trash cans," the parent said.
Her son told her the agriculture teacher threatened anyone who recorded or took pictures of the incident would be given a referral.
"He knew while it was happening that it was wrong, so he did it anyway and stood behind people hiding, taking pictures and videos," the mother said.
The teacher has worked at Forest High School since 2006.
The teacher was placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation.
In a statement to News 6, the Marion County School Board said: "While law enforcement tells us the teacher may not have done anything illegal, his actions before students are certainly questionable."
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says it is investigating the way the raccoons were killed.
The commission's findings will be sent to prosecutors, who will determine if the teacher will face charges.