Howard County police have charged a fifth-grade teacher at Jeffers Hill Elementary School in Columbia with pushing a student in the classroom, police officials said today.

According to police, the student, an 11-year-old girl, told her mother on Jan. 13 that her teacher verbally reprimanded her during class, ordered her to leave the classroom and then pushed her into the hallway.

The girl’s mother called police and officers went to their home to take a report, police said. The officers observed a red mark on the girl’s back.

After an investigation, police charged the teacher, Tracie Clay, 38, of Laurel, with second-degree assault, police said.

— Mike Santa Rita

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user comments (5)

user citizentaxpayerjane says...

I'm the first to criticize teachers, but this is scary. If this teacher is innocent she'll still be affected for the rest of her life by the threat of being unjustly incarcerated. Innocent until proven, people. Innocent until proven.

Posted 7:33 AM, 02.05.10 | Permalink

user beatendowntaxpayer says...

Don't worry, the state's attorney doesn't really prosecute anything, so the charges will be dropped or plea bargained. Unless it was a white teacher and black student. Then it's a vicious hate crime and the teacher will go away for 20 years.

Posted 10:06 AM, 02.05.10 | Permalink

user lisbonite says...

Pushing does not leave a red mark. Hitting leaves a red mark. Hitting doesn't leave a mark unless it's done with an extreme amount of force. Something isn't adding up in the story, the report, the charge.

Posted 12:50 PM, 02.05.10 | Permalink

user belovedcartoonmouse says...

5 bucks says the kid deserved it.

Posted 8:08 PM, 02.05.10 | Permalink

user silencedogood2 says...

Lisbonite, I had similar thoughts. The child did not get the red mark from the pushing incident, so what how did the red mark get onto the child? Did the police ask that question?

Posted 10:00 AM, 02.06.10 | Permalink