NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (AP) — A North Platte physical education teacher who dragged an 8-year-old student by his ankles can keep his job.

The North Platte Public Schools Board decided late Friday not to terminate the contract of Mark Woodhead, a longtime teacher and coach at Jefferson Elementary. The 4-2 vote came at the end of 15 hours of public testimony and deliberation, and was cheered by a large crowd.  Board members Jack Price and Julie Nielsen voted to fire Woodhead.

Witnesses say the third-grader was misbehaving in Woodhead’s physical education class. The student left the class and went to an office. Woodhead followed the boy and dragged him back to a timeout room, a distance of about 90 feet. The child’s guardian testified that the boy suffered rug burns on his back.

Woodhead says he used bad judgment, and never intended to harm the child.