Santa Fe teacher accused of dragging student
Posted at: 12/03/2012 6:21 PM
By: Jill Galus, KOB Eyewitness News 4
Surveillance video that shows a teacher dragging a 6-year-old student on his back down the hallway inside Gonzales Community School in Santa Fe has her on administrative leave, police said.
In the video, the special education teacher, who is not being identified, grabs the boy, who is blind, by his ankles and begins dragging him down the hallway when another teacher joins in and takes him by the other leg. Meanwhile, a third person watches. Helpless, the boy does not struggle or fight back.
The first teacher who laid her hands on the student told police the boy did not want to go to another classroom, and this was her way of getting him there.
"We don't believe the teacher was intentionally trying to hurt the child, but our problem is the blatant neglect for his safety," Sgt. Andrea Dobyns, of the Santa Fe Police Department, said.
Repeated calls to Santa Fe Public Schools were not returned to KOB Eyewitness News 4 for comment Monday.
The student complained his head hurt after being dragged, police said. Officers are still investigating and will speak with the boy's parents to see if there is any history of this sort of discipline with this particular teacher.
"The boy's parents like this teacher. This teacher has been working with their child for quite some time," Dobyns said.
Both teachers seen dragging the boy in the video will be facing child abuse charges. The case will be forwarded to the district attorney's office for review, police said.
The witness could possibly face charges for not reporting the incident, which is required under state law, police said.
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