A Florida middle school teacher was hit with child abuse charges for allegedly ordering a 12-year-old student to slap a classmate who wouldn’t stop talking, according to authorities.
Judith Clark, 64, even had two other students close the blinds in the Lee Middle School classroom before allegedly telling the youngster to hit the other student on May 13, WTVT-TV News reported.
“This incident is deeply concerning and does not reflect the standards or expectations we have for our employees,” school district officials said in a statement. “This arrest follows a collaborative investigation involving the School District, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, and Child Protective Services.”
Clark couldn’t get the victim to stop talking in class, and initially asked for volunteers to slap the student — but none of the others took the bait, the outlet said.
That’s when the ticked-off teacher allegedly ordered one student — who said he was afraid to say no — to do the deed, but only after making sure the blinds were closed.
The sheriff’s office charged the teacher with child abuse on Tuesday.
According to the school district, Clark was hired in 2019, but even before the incident, on April 8, she was told that her contract would not be renewed and her last day would be May 29.
She was yanked from the classroom after the incident.
“The safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority,” the school district said. “We are committed to providing a safe, positive, and supportive learning environment for all students, and the actions described in this case are not aligned with that commitment we uphold in our schools.
“We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners, take all appropriate steps to ensure accountability, and keep our school community informed,” the statement said.
