JACKONVILLE, Fla. — A Duval County Public Schools teacher has been suspended without pay after an investigation revealed she hit a student's hand with a ruler.
Lanorita Stroman said she was trying to discipline a student for hitting another student.
It all started in the music room at a North Side elementary school.
According to a report from the school district in September, a student told another teacher "Ms. Stroman hurts" and pointed to his hand.
The report states that teacher reported seeing a red welt on the student's hand. Stroman admitted using a ruler to scare the student, "popping the child two to three times," according to the report.
Stroman is a paraprofessional and has been working with special education students since 2007.
Action News Jax went to Stroman's home to question her about the incident and encountered a
man standing outside who said he is a relative of hers.
"She has an attorney. They are dealing with it, so you need to talk to her," he said.
This also isn't Stroman's first time in trouble.
According to the school district, in 2011 she was also reprimanded for slapping an autistic student on the hand multiple times.
In the report her attorney says at first Stroman didn't think it was wrong, but if she could do it all over again she wouldn't have used a ruler.
"Anytime that you hit a kid hard enough to put a welt on him or a bruise it's abuse," said George Stephens, a neighbor who lives near Stroman's home, who added that's no way to discipline a child.
"For children that you know have a learning disability or mental disability, that's totally different. You just have to have patience with them," Stephens said.
Stroman has been suspended without pay for at least 30 days.
Stroman's attorney said they will not comment at this time. According to the DCPS report, a criminal case is still pending.
DCPS teacher suspended for reportedly hitting a child's hand with a ruler
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