By Jeanie Groh

jeanie.groh@salisburypost.com

The West Rowan High School teacher and coach charged with assaulting a student will resign at the end of the school year, school officials announced Thursday.

Earlier this month, a 15-year-old student took Brian Linville’s school-issued laptop from Linville’s desk and attempted to walk out of the classroom with it.

According to a press release from the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, Linville told the student to stop and blocked him from leaving the room. At that point, the student pushed Linville.

Linville picked up the student and pushed him into a metal cabinet, then threw him to the floor, the release said.

The teacher was charged with simple assault, and the student was charged with disorderly conduct as a juvenile.

Linville’s first court appearance is Monday. He was initially placed on leave without pay, but it has since been changed to leave with pay.

“After further review, the effective date of paid leave was changed to April 17,” Rowan-Salisbury Public Information Officer Rita Foil said in an email.

She declined to comment on the reason why pay was added.

Linville “elected to resign,” effective June 12, she added.

Linville has been a math teacher and assistant football coach at West Rowan High School since August 2009. He had no previous disciplinary incidents.

West Rowan students and community members rose up to support Linville.

A Facebook group called “Justice for Coach Linville” garnered 3,190 “likes,” and students held a rally to show their support for the coach on April 19.