‘Mild-mannered’ high-school coach allegedly slaps student in face over ‘six-seven’ joke
Steven E. Nelson, a math teacher and wrestling coach at Norwich Free Academy in Connecticut, allegedly slapped a student in the face during practice in December 2025 after the student made a 'six-seven' joke in response to a workout instruction. The student reported crying, later vomiting, and was diagnosed with a concussion and head trauma, leading to Nelson being charged with third-degree assault and risk of injury to a child. While some witnesses described Nelson as supportive and mild-mannered, video evidence showed prior physical contact during practice, and Nelson claimed he only meant to tap the student to refocus him.
- ▪Steven E. Nelson, a coach and teacher at Norwich Free Academy, allegedly slapped a student during a wrestling practice in December 2025.
- ▪The incident occurred after the student responded to a coaching instruction with the phrase 'six-seven,' a popular Gen Alpha social media slang term.
- ▪The student was diagnosed with a concussion and head trauma, and a hospital examination revealed a mark on his left cheek.
- ▪Nelson was placed on paid administrative leave on December 31 and charged with third-degree assault and risk of injury to a child on April 16, 2026.
- ▪Video footage from the school showed Nelson using his elbow to make repeated contact with the student’s head during earlier practice bouts.
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Metro ‘Mild-mannered’ high-school coach allegedly slaps student in face over ‘six-seven’ joke By Patrick Reilly Published May 1, 2026, 1:21 p.m. ET A “mild-mannered’ high-school wrestling coach allegedly finally snapped over the irritating social-media “six-seven’’ trend — and slapped a student athlete for cracking a joke at practice. Steven E. Nelson, a math teacher and the head wrestling coach at Connecticut’s Norwich Free Academy, allegedly thought the student was slacking at practice while working out on a stationary bicycle in December — and told the boy to increase his speed from 30 rotations per minute to 60 or 70. “Coach, six-seven,” the student chirped back, referencing the exhaustive, nonsensical slang term rampant among Gen.
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