Elementary teacher accused of assaulting student with special needs, officials say
An Indiana elementary teacher has been arrested after officials say she assaulted a student in her care.
Jennifer Grissam, 44, is charged with battery on a person less than 14 years old, according to court records.
Grissam was a teacher with North Side Elementary School. In April, an instructional assistant told police she quietly walked into Grissam’s special needs class, so she wouldn’t disrupt it, according to WPTA. After entering the room, she said she heard Grissam yell “no” and saw her “open hand” smack a nonverbal student on the back, according to court documents obtained by the outlet.
The assistant said when Grissam noticed her, she told the assistant that the student had been “attacking,” the News Sun reported, citing the court documents.
When talking to police, Grissam later denied hitting the student and said she did “go to swat him on the butt” but pulled back her hand and made contact with his back instead, the news outlet reported. “But I didn’t hit him. I didn’t even swat him. I would say it was a hard pat,” she told police.
The student’s mother reported that he had a bruise on his back, but it was unclear if it was from the incident, court records said, according to WPTA.
Because the student is mostly nonverbal, he was unable to give a statement, according to court documents obtained by the News Sun.
Grissam was given a $2,500 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on May 20.
A news release from East Noble School Corporation said Grissam no longer works at the school, WPTA reported.
An attorney for Grissam was not listed in court records.
North Side Elementary School is in Kendallville, about a 30-mile drive north of Fort Wayne.
This story was originally published May 22, 2024 at 10:13 AM with the headline "Elementary teacher accused of assaulting student with special needs, officials say."
