Kindergarten Teacher Attacked in Class : Crime: Authorities say a student’s mother assaulted the veteran instructor in front of her students at the Toluca Lake school. Many of the children fled the room screaming.

A 64-year-old “grandmotherly” kindergarten teacher was assaulted in her classroom by a student’s mother, who grabbed her by the throat and slammed her against a wall as students screamed in terror, authorities said Friday.

Benita McCrae, 30, who police said is six feet tall and weighs 240 pounds, was arrested Thursday on charges of assaulting a school official, Detective Gary Barthelmess said. He said the arrest occurred one day after McCrae burst into a kindergarten classroom at Toluca Lake Elementary School and attacked veteran teacher Marjan Swantek.

Barthelmess said McCrae’s daughter, now in the custody of the Department of Children’s Services, started school just one day before the attack.

McCrae burst into the class Wednesday a few minutes after she had dropped off her daughter, authorities said. The day before, McCrae remained in the classroom observing the entire session.

Before leaving the class Wednesday, McCrae told Swantek that she “didn’t like her teaching methods” and told her daughter that if Swantek yelled at her she should run to the office and call home, Barthelmess said.

Shortly after McCrae left, authorities said, the 5-year-old child stood up and told Swantek, “You are going to get fired! You are going to get fired.”

Swantek told the child to sit down, but instead the girl ran from the classroom and yelled for her mother, who was outside in the hall, authorities said.

McCrae grabbed Swantek by the throat and lifted her off the ground, police said Swantek told them. She then slammed the teacher into a wall before dropping her on the floor and fleeing with her daughter, Barthelmess said. During the attack, many of the students ran from the classroom screaming hysterically, he said.

Swantek was shaken by the incident but returned to her classroom to teach that afternoon, Barthelmess said. Many of the students who witnessed the attack, however, were upset for hours afterward, he said.

“One of the children was hysterical for a long time,” Barthelmess said. “It’s a pretty traumatic thing to happen in front of a bunch of kindergartners.”

John Colton, principal of Toluca Lake Elementary School, described Swantek as a “gentle, caring lady,” who is well-liked by her students. He said no parent has ever complained about Swantek’s teaching methods.

“She is concerned and involved, the grandmotherly type,” Colton said.

Police said Swantek had bruises on her neck but suffered no serious injuries.

McCrae was being held in Los Angeles County Jail in lieu of $10,000 bail, Barthelmess said. He said the case would be presented to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office on Tuesday.

Swantek, who has taught elementary school for 30 years, said that during the incident she just kept hoping that she would not pass out.

“I don’t scare easily. I meditate,” she said.