12-14-2005, 08:39 AM
School Board approves resignation of suspended teacher
Sun Herald Florida
14th December 2005
The Charlotte County School Board unanimously approved the resignation of a teacher who was suspended for allegedly hitting an autistic student.
Catherine Hile, a former Charlotte Harbor School special education teacher, tendered her resignation Monday after she came under fire for allegedly striking an autistic boy in her classroom Oct. 6. The school is for students with physical, mental and emotional disabilities.
Hile, who had been earning more than $35,000 a year, was immediately suspended with pay while an investigation into the allegation was conducted.
Hile reportedly struck a 13-year-old at the school after he allegedly became unruly and hit two other students. A teacher's aide said she saw the teacher walk up to the student and punch him three or four times in the left arm "inappropriately hard," the district's initial report on the incident stated.
The teacher denied hitting the student, saying he had started punching and kicking her when she tried to protect another student.
Doug Whittaker, assistant superintendent of human resources, said Hile, 40, resigned on her own without pressure from the school district.
"She resigned because of the whole scenario," Whittaker said. "We were moving forward with discipline."
Whittaker said if Hile hadn't resigned, she would have faced either being suspended without pay for an extensive time or being terminated. The school district was leaning toward firing the teacher, he said.
"This (Hile resigning) has been good all the way around," Whittaker said.
Whittaker said Hile was very professional in her resignation letter.
Two other district employees were also reprimanded during the School Board meeting.
Source: Sun Herald
http://www.sun-herald.com/NewsArchive2/1...tp4ew7.htm
Sun Herald Florida
14th December 2005
The Charlotte County School Board unanimously approved the resignation of a teacher who was suspended for allegedly hitting an autistic student.
Catherine Hile, a former Charlotte Harbor School special education teacher, tendered her resignation Monday after she came under fire for allegedly striking an autistic boy in her classroom Oct. 6. The school is for students with physical, mental and emotional disabilities.
Hile, who had been earning more than $35,000 a year, was immediately suspended with pay while an investigation into the allegation was conducted.
Hile reportedly struck a 13-year-old at the school after he allegedly became unruly and hit two other students. A teacher's aide said she saw the teacher walk up to the student and punch him three or four times in the left arm "inappropriately hard," the district's initial report on the incident stated.
The teacher denied hitting the student, saying he had started punching and kicking her when she tried to protect another student.
Doug Whittaker, assistant superintendent of human resources, said Hile, 40, resigned on her own without pressure from the school district.
"She resigned because of the whole scenario," Whittaker said. "We were moving forward with discipline."
Whittaker said if Hile hadn't resigned, she would have faced either being suspended without pay for an extensive time or being terminated. The school district was leaning toward firing the teacher, he said.
"This (Hile resigning) has been good all the way around," Whittaker said.
Whittaker said Hile was very professional in her resignation letter.
Two other district employees were also reprimanded during the School Board meeting.
Source: Sun Herald
http://www.sun-herald.com/NewsArchive2/1...tp4ew7.htm