Mom: Teacher struck child with a ruler
Girl moved to another class without knowledge
A Shelby County mother says her 5year-old daughter’s teacher struck her in the face with a ruler, lied to cover it up and is now back in the classroom just weeks later.
Ciara Morgan said she initially received a call from Cummings Elementary on Jan. 24 saying her daughter, Hailey, suffered an allergic reaction. But when her mother arrived at the school, Hailey said her teacher hit her with a ruler and promised her a toy if she didn’t say anything.
“When we got to the school… she told us that her teacher had hit her in the eye with the ruler and told her to not tell anyone,” Morgan said.
Shelby County Schools confirmed the teacher, Tierra Smith, was disciplined, but was back in her classroom this week.
Chief of Communications Natalia Powers said labor relations investigated the incident after Morgan gave Hailey’s account to the school but couldn’t substantiate the claims, despite a conspicuous mark on the child’s left eye. But during the course of the investigation, Powers said, it was determined that Smith had struck the child’s hand in an attempt to “redirect” her.
That was enough to warrant a twoday suspension and reports to the state.
The Tennessee State Board of Education is now reviewing Smith’s license and a Department of Child Services investigation is underway, Powers said.
Morgan said the school transferred Hailey to another class without her knowledge.
“My daughter thinks that she’s in trouble because she got removed from her class,” Morgan said.
She has since withdrawn Hailey from the school.
A records request for documents SCS sent to the state regarding the case is pending.
Reach Jennifer Pignolet at jennifer.pignolet@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @Jenpignolet.