‘Teacher of the Year’ arrested for hitting pupil who criticized award
A Florida teacher was jailed on child abuse charges two days after being named Teacher of the Year for allegedly hitting a student who criticized her for getting the award.
Caroline Lee, 60, is accused of hitting a girl in the face in the classroom of her Jacksonville school last week.
A police report claims that Lee forced the child to go to her classroom after she read a comment thread on a social media post that upset her.
Lee then allegedly hit the girl in the face. She repeatedly called her a 'f----ing bitch' as she hit her several more times in the head and kicked her, the report claims.
Lee was jailed overnight after her arrest and has been removed from the classroom at the Darnell-Cookman School of the Medical Arts.
"What is alleged should never occur - ever - especially in a school setting. I have no tolerance for adults who harm children, especially adults in a position of trust," Dr. Diana Green, DCPS said in a statement.