SNOOKIE FROM JERSEY SHORE KNOCKOUT!

The gelled-up brute caught on video slugging a female cast member of the MTV reality show "Jersey Shore" is a Queens high school gym teacher, the Daily News has learned.
Cameras were rolling when a drunk Brad Ferro, 23, punched out 21-year-old Nicole (Snooki) Polizzi inside a Seaside Heights bar on Aug. 19, authorities said.

Footage of Ferro's devastating right hook went viral this week, prompting education officials to boot Ferro from his post at the North Queens Community High School in Flushing and send him to a "rubber room."

Ferro's father defended his son and blamed MTV.

"A woman who works for them instigated my son into doing something very stupid," Dan Ferro said from his home in Deer Park, L.I.

"When you get a bunch of people in a situation with alcohol and instigate, someone's going to do something stupid, and that's obviously what MTV wants."

Ferro added, "It's horrible, absolutely, and he feels the same way. He doesn't understand how that happened. She was being very aggressive. That's who she is, apparently."

The highly publicized smackdown is the latest black eye for city schools. The News revealed this week that a trio of female teachers were booted from one Brooklyn high school for sexual shenanigans.

It also added another layer of controversy to the maligned MTV show, which Italian-American groups say perpetuates stereotypes.

Ferro was partying at a popular seaside watering hole called the Beachcomber Bar and Grill when he clashed with Polizzi.

Authorities said Ferro, after already being warned by bouncers to stop boozing, downed Polizzi's drink.

"There was a small verbal confrontation between the two," Seaside Heights Detective Steve Korman said. "And with that, he just punched her in the face."

The blow sent Polizzi flying out of her seat. The Marlboro, N.Y, party girl sustained injuries inside her mouth but was not hospitalized.

She could not be reached Thursday.

Ferro pled guilty to simple assault and was ordered to pay a $500 fine and take anger management classes.

The red-faced former baseball star apologized to his students this week after MTV showed clips of the assault in promos for the show.

"He told us he never wants to drink like that again because of what happened," said Monique Martinez, 18.

Some students described the second-year teacher as a gentle peacemaker. Others said he had a quick temper.

"He'd have attitude problems," said Josh Wilson, 18. "If it's not his way, it's nobody's way."