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Teacher accused of biting girl
Tallahassee Democrat ^ | 2-1-2005 | Kim McCoy Vann

Posted on 02/01/2005 6:39:35 PM PST by Cagey

Fight erupted over student's CD player

By Kim McCoy Vann

DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER

Prosecutors are deciding whether to file charges against a Taylor County schoolteacher accused of biting a student.

Perry Elementary School teacher Natalie Whalen was charged with child abuse, and a 10-year-old girl was charged with battery on a school official after the two fought Jan. 19, Lt. Audie Towles of the Taylor County Sheriff's Office said. The Sheriff's Office has turned the case over to the State Attorney's Office, which could alter or drop the charge.

The incident began when Whalen and the girl argued about a CD player the girl had brought into the classroom, Towles said. Whalen took the "unauthorized piece of equipment" from the girl and the student tried to get it back, he said.

"The teacher tried to stop the child from retrieving the item, and the child bit the teacher on the arm first," Towles said. "And then the altercation progressed. They wound up in a wrestling match between the two of them."

Whalen, who uses a wheelchair, wound up on top of the student, he said. A teacher's aide, who came into the room after the scuffle began, helped break up the fight.

The student had received bite marks thought to have come from the teacher, Towles said. The incident occurred in an Exceptional Student Education class, which provides special instruction for disabled and gifted students.

Whalen was suspended from the classroom, Towles said. Whether the student was disciplined by the school was unknown Friday.

Whalen and Taylor County Superintendent Oscar Howard didn't immediately return calls Friday to a Tallahassee Democrat reporter seeking comment.

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TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: pspl

1 posted on 02/01/2005 6:39:35 PM PST by Cagey
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To: Cagey

"Exceptional Student", indeed.


2 posted on 02/01/2005 6:42:35 PM PST by MisterRepublican (Liberalism kills.)
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To: Cagey

I guess teachers really aren't being paid well.


3 posted on 02/01/2005 8:03:37 PM PST by Duke Nukum ("They think we're not generous? Mr. Scott, prepare to beam over billions of cats to the U.N.")
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To: Cagey
"The teacher tried to stop the child from retrieving the item, and the child bit the teacher on the arm first," Towles said.

I have a kinda 'new age' friend who has four small kids, and was in a blind panic when called into primary school because her 5 year old daughter was biting all of the other children. She didn't know what to do, and asked a teacher. Paula (my friend) said to her..'Well, sometimes she bites me too'. The teacher said..'Best thing you can do for your daughter is bite her back'. Paula did. Problem stopped.

4 posted on 02/01/2005 8:08:11 PM PST by Happygal (liberalism - a narrow tribal outlook largely founded on class prejudice)
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To: Cagey

BTW...parents of a 10-year-old, who haven't already taught their children respect of the disabled should be brought into question.

This little 10 year old thug pulled their teacher out of a wheelchair.

He/she is lucky they weren't been taught by a NUN.

The nun would have bit them, and then got back in the wheelchair and wheeled over them. Before giving them detention, lines, an arse whippin, and ten decades of the rosary as penance.


5 posted on 02/01/2005 8:10:32 PM PST by Happygal (liberalism - a narrow tribal outlook largely founded on class prejudice)
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To: Cagey

I'm siding with the teacher here.


6 posted on 02/01/2005 8:11:58 PM PST by Dan from Michigan ("Guilty! Guilty in the first degree....")
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To: kenth; CatoRenasci; Marie; PureSolace; Congressman Billybob; P.O.E.; cupcakes; Amelia; Diana; ...

7 posted on 02/02/2005 6:06:19 AM PST by Born Conservative (Those who hate you don't win unless you hate them. And then you destroy yourself." - Richard Nixon)
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To: Happygal

I have a kinda 'new age' friend who has four small kids, and was in a blind panic when called into primary school because her 5 year old daughter was biting all of the other children. She didn't know what to do, and asked a teacher. Paula (my friend) said to her..'Well, sometimes she bites me too'. The teacher said..'Best thing you can do for your daughter is bite her back'. Paula did. Problem stopped.

Don't try that on a rattlesnake though.


8 posted on 02/02/2005 6:47:20 AM PST by moog
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To: Dan from Michigan

I'm siding with the teacher here.

Me too, though as a teacher I wouldn't try to bite anyone.


9 posted on 02/02/2005 6:48:05 AM PST by moog
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To: Happygal

BTW...parents of a 10-year-old, who haven't already taught their children respect of the disabled should be brought into question.

This little 10 year old thug pulled their teacher out of a wheelchair.

He/she is lucky they weren't been taught by a NUN.

The nun would have bit them, and then got back in the wheelchair and wheeled over them. Before giving them detention, lines, an arse whippin, and ten decades of the rosary as penance.

I wonder what would happen during confession.


10 posted on 02/02/2005 6:49:06 AM PST by moog
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