A teacher faces charges after she reportedly flipped a desk occupied by a special needs student who refused to get up from the seat.
Donna Dixon, 56, was arrested Monday on charges of child cruelty after the alleged incident at Escambia Westgate school in Pensacola, Florida, the Pensacola News Journal reported.
Police said the female student, who has Down syndrome, was sitting with her head down when Dixon entered the room and pushed over the desk.
The girl fell backward and hit a plastic cart, leaving her with a sore neck, according to police.
Police said that the teacher didn’t help the child, who was on her back on the floor, and left the classroom, news station WKRG reported.
Dixon told authorities that student, who is non-verbal, wasn’t following directions to move to another classroom.
The teacher claimed she was frustrated and didn’t mean to hurt the “stubborn” student.
According to Dixon, she did not report the incident because she was busy.
Another teacher who witnessed the altercation filed a complaint with the school.
The school suspended Dixon on Oct. 11 following the incident.
The victim’s mom, Beth Simoneaux, said that she was shocked to learn Dixon was violent with her child.
“I’m disappointed,” she told WKRG. “That lady, Mrs. Dixon, I trusted her with my child.”
Dixon was booked Monday at Escambia County Jail, where she was released on $10,000 bond.
Original Article: NY Post
