Teacher accused of dragging, throwing child

AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF ^ | Wednesday, April 21, 2004 | By Tony Plohetski

[Arrowhead1952]

Felony charge filed in incident reportedly sparked by 5-year-old's racial comment

By Tony Plohetski

AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

Wednesday, April 21, 2004

First, police say, Norman Elementary School teacher Mary Lou Botello made a 5-year-old student drop to his knees in the cafeteria and beg for forgiveness after making a racial comment to a custodian.

Then, according to an affidavit filed Tuesday, she grabbed the student by his shirt, dragged him up a hallway and threw him into the principal's office, where he slid on the floor and landed against a wooden bookcase. At one point in the hall, witnesses said, the child's shoe came off, causing him to trip as the teacher continued her fast pace.

Police decided that the teacher crossed the line between discipline and a crime during the March 26 incident. They charged Botello, 51, with injury to a child, a state jail felony punishable by up to two years behind bars.

She had not been arrested Tuesday afternoon. Austin Independent School District Sgt. J.J. Schmidt said officers probably would arrest Botello by today.

A woman who answered the phone at a number listed for Botello in the school directory hung up. Austin school officials said Botello has been on administrative leave with pay since March 29, three days after the incident.

"All of the adult witnesses in the office stated that Botello's actions were extremely forceful and excessive," Schmidt said in the affidavit.

"It's a tough balance, just balancing the safety of the kids and what's appropriate and inappropriate and where the boundaries are," Schmidt said. "You go off what a reasonable person would think."

The student told investigators a day after the incident that his teacher was choking him as she dragged him down the hall and that his shirt caused a scratch around his neck. The child said his "butt hurt when the teacher slammed him on the floor in the office," the affidavit said.

Police photographed injuries around his neck and an abrasion on the right side of his lower torso, Schmidt said.

Botello told police that she "led" the student by his shirt to the office and that she was walking fast. She also said that the child tripped on the way and that he slid on the floor at the office, according to the affidavit, which said the boy weighed 70 pounds.

Police gathered statements from the office staff, a parent and lunch room monitor, a mentor at the school and other teachers, who saw all or part of the incident.

The affidavit said witnesses heard Botello make a comment as she was leaving the office about how upset she was and was holding her chest as if she was out of breath.

Spokeswoman Kathy Anthony said Botello began working for the district in August 2000 and has worked at Norman since then. She would not comment about the case.

According to the district's code of conduct, corporal punishment is not allowed. Name-calling and ethnic or racial slurs are considered examples of "general misconduct" by students. The code lists actions a teacher can take to discipline bad behavior, including verbal correction, time out, detention, sending a child to the principal's office or having a parent-teacher conference.

Aaron Reed, spokesman for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, said he was not familiar with the incident.

However, he said, "there's never any excuse to act violently toward a 5-year-old child. We would always encourage anyone who feels like they are losing control with a small child to take a deep breath and take a step back."

[Arrowhead1952]

What an idiot this teacher was by taking discipline into her own hands.

[netmilsmom]

OH MY!

Like it's this kids fault for the bigotry taught to him by his parents. I've seen some bad kids, most of it is from home.

This teacher is burnt out and needs never to teach again.

[aruanan]

First, police say, Norman Elementary School teacher Mary Lou Botello made a 5-year-old student drop to his knees in the cafeteria and beg for forgiveness after making a racial comment to a custodian.

But she was only trying to help in the cause of racial sensitivity. What could possibly be more important than that? Well, kicking kids out of school for sketching a gun because of zero tolerance for weapons or kicking a kid out of school for an aspirin because of zero tolerance for drugs.

When will the public finally have zero tolerance for moronic teachers and school administrators and throw all of them out of school?

[PleaseNoMore]

If this were my kid, that teacher would have been thrown across the floor. There is no excuse for this. None at all. The kid is 5 years old. I would be very interested in knowing the comment made by the kid.

[tioga]

No information here as to what race the child, custodian or the teacher was. No teacher should "rough-up" a child -ever. Obviously, this woman should never teach again. The rest will apparently be up to the court system.

[HELLRAISER II]

The kid must of called someone a Republican, oh my that's definately something where the kid needs to be half choked to death and slammed on the ground. Listen I don't care what this kid said, if that was my kid i'd be doing a little body slamming myself including the Teacher & the Administration if they thought they wanted some to. This teacher is an @sshole!

[Pontiac]

When will the public finally have zero tolerance for moronic teachers and school administrators and throw all of them out of school?

I agree with you to a point. But most of what you talk about was forced upon the schools by stupid court decisions.

[ChadsDad]

One cannot speak the truth when it comes to racial issues in America. This article is a perfect example. Was the child black, white, latino, etc? And what of this teacher, what race is she. Bet I know the answer to all of the above, but I better not say.

[Mercat]

Is 70 pounds a bit large for a five year old?

[dagoofyfoot]

This teacher is burnt out and needs never to teach again.


Burnt out?!


The teacher is Psycho!

We're talking about a 5 year old kid, If it was my kid, teaching again would be the last thing this b!tch would be worried about...


How about walking again?!

[armymarinemom]

The affidavit said witnesses heard Botello make a comment as she was leaving the office about how upset she was and was holding her chest as if she was out of breath.

Yep, I just abused a child but it's all about me! She sound like she is really burned out and too self centered to be teaching.

[CindyDawg]

I've probably had my sons when kids loose a shoe or two and definately drop their weight when they didn't want to go where I wanted them. Sounds like the teacher lost it which is unacceptable but she ought to plead temp insanity:') There is no way I would be a public school teacher today. Some of these lil darlins are just completely unmanagable.

[Savage Beast]

A five-year-old child???

[Arrowhead1952]

When will the public finally have zero tolerance for moronic teachers and school administrators and throw all of them out of school?

Remember, this incident happened in the San Fran-way-out-yonder-cisco of Texas. Austin is so liberal and the tolerance rate to moronic teachers is unbelievable.

The kid must of called someone a Republican, oh my that's definately something where the kid needs to be half choked to death and slammed on the ground.

This is what public school teachers here actually believe, Republicans are EEEEVIL!

[RightOnline]

"How DARE you use a racial slur!!!!!!!!!!!! That is hurtful to another's feelings, don't you realize that????"

"Now, for that, I'm going to beat the living s**t out of you, young man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Liberal, drooling educrat thinking.

[Arrowhead1952]

There is no way I would be a public school teacher today. Some of these lil darlins are just completely unmanagable.

There in not enough money that would make me want to teach either.

Whyisa, at least you don't have to worry about these types of teachers.

[Skooz]

I remember a tough old battle-axe from the sixth grade. Mrs. Wise.

She was balling out my best friend, he talked back to her, and she landed a right cross smack on his left jaw. Not a slap, but a balled-up fist. I can still see his look of shock and disbelief as he stared at me with his jaw dropped.

I thought it was hilarious. But this was sixth grade, not a five year old.

[Dallas59]

Wonder what that kid learned on MTV during one of thier RAP videos?

[Revelation 911]

I thought it was hilarious. But this was sixth grade, not a five year old.

It crosses a line though

I was dragged by my hair by the wrestling coach from homeroom for asking him why practice was cancelled one day- literally dragged caveman style - guess I caught him on a bad day

Then there was the time my shop teacher intentionally wrapped my palm around a brass rod burr and twisted it, cutting it severely.....all for asking how to remove brass burrs.

FYI - these were public city schools in the mid 70's - I wasnt a smart alek - never did drugs or anything - threw shot put and discus. Never had detention, broke up fights etc..My Ma was the school nurse so I couldnt get away with anything LOL

[Revelation 911]

"Wonder what that kid learned on MTV during one of thier RAP videos?"

rap lyrics - warning graphic language