GREENUP COUNTY, Ky. (WSAZ) – A teacher at Greenup County Schools has been removed from her position after a video surfaced appearing to show her dragging a child with autism down a hallway.
Video obtained by NBC affiliate WSAZ shows the child being dragged down the hallway of Wurtland Elementary.
WSAZ also reports that the teacher is scheduled to be arraigned on a fourth-degree assault charge.
Greenup County Schools released a statement on the incident:
“The Greenup County School District prioritizes the safety of our students. The district followed established safety protocol as soon as this situation became known. The parent was contacted immediately and the student was assessed by the school nurse and referred for outside medical evaluation. Child Protective Services was contacted and the Kentucky State Police opened an investigation. The teacher was removed from the school and a formal investigation was conducted. The superintendent also followed protocol and reported the incident to the Kentucky Education Standards Board. The EPSB determines whether or not a teacher keeps their teaching certificate. All GCSD staff are trained to prevent incidents of restraint. Each school has a specially trained team to address immediate issues. In addition, each school has teachers specially trained to address autism-related behaviors.”
The video is reminiscent of an earlier incident in Lexington in which a student with autism was dragged down a hallway by a teacher and a nurse. That child was mostly non-verbal and had mobility issues.
