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Teacher Charged With Abusing Special Needs Student
October 25, 2017
An Escambia County special education teacher has been charged with cruelty toward a child after after allegedly flipping over a desk over while a special needs child was sitting in it.
According to the arrest report, 56-year-old Donna Dixon of Cantonment is a teacher at Escambia Westgate School. She was placed on suspension a day after the alleged incident.
Deputies were shown a video of the student sitting in a desk with her head down. The video shows Dixon walking into the room and directly to the desk where the student is sitting.
The arrest report said Dixon “picked up the front of the desk and pushed it backward. This caused the victim to fall backward and hit a large plastic cart before hitting the floor.” Dixon “manipulated the desk until the victim was no longer in it.” She then placed the desk back upright and then walked out of the room, deputies reported seeing in the video.
Deputies say Dixon met with them at the sheriff’s office for an interview. Dixon told deputies she was helping students get to their buses when the victim would not comply.
A member of the Escambia County School Board showed deputies video of the student sitting in a desk with her head down. The video shows Dixon walking into the room and directly to the desk where the student is sitting.
The arrest report said Dixon “picked up the front of the desk and pushed it backward. This caused the victim to fall backward and hit a large plastic cart before hitting the floor.” Dixon “manipulated the desk until the victim was no longer in it.” She then placed the desk back up and then walked out of the room, deputies reported seeing in the video.
Deputies say Dixon met with them at the sheriff’s office for an interview. Dixon told deputies she was helping students get to their buses when the victim would not comply.
Another teacher that witnessed the incident told deputies everything happened so fast that she didn’t know how to react. Shortly after Dixon left the room leaving the student on the floor, the witness said two more people walked into the room and helped the student up off the ground.
Dixon was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $10,000 bond . She has been suspended by the Escambia County School District
Comments
25 Responses to “Teacher Charged With Abusing Special Needs Student”
I’ve known this teacher. I’ve ALWAYS been one to give EVERYONE the benefit of the doubt (even more than I probably should) but this teacher has always come off as brash and short tempered. I’ve known several students that have thrown tantrums in an attempt to not attend her class and I always confused as to “why” because the students are SPECIAL NEEDS and did not have the communication ability to explain fully to me “why”. The article states that the video shows that the student provoked had his/her head down on the desk before it was flipped, yet Mrs Dixon states the student would not comply. What was the non-compliance? I truly believe that most offenders commit a crime several times before they are actually caught. If video were not captured, would this have been ANOTHER not caught? All of the sudents in Westgate are special needs children, MANY cannot “speak up”. I hope that the student & the others in the class are ok. I am disturbed by learning about this story BUT I am NOT surprised!
Video doesn’t show everything. What if she left to go get help because the student reared back and caused the desk to flip over?
Don’t be so smugly surel
I don’t think her intent was to flip the desk over, even though that is what happened.
I hope the investigators do a thorough job and she is disciplined appropriately, but I agree with the other commentator – I see no need to burn her at the stake.
It’s truly sad when teachers lose patience and act this way. Luckily video doesn’t lie…Hope her days of teaching are over and the children will be better looked after from now on.
People are jumping to the worst conclusions, take a breath. If you don’t have a special needs child or have never worked with them it can be difficult at times and blessings as well. Not giving the teacher an excuse, but what if she was just tilting the desk a little to get the child to move and it went to far.
She called for help and it did not come being that they were short handed I assume. I can tell you beyond a shadow of a doubt that Westgate could use help and most of the elementary schools have special needs classrooms and I know they could use help. So for those that think she is a terrible woman or teacher, get up and go volunteer for just a week. The school would appreciate the help and just maybe you could come to a better understanding of what goes on.
Yes; she is guilty of assault.
I feel that everyone has a breaking point, all care givers, providers, supervisors ect.
This woman reached the point where her stress level pushed her beyond the limits.
No excuses, just explanation. It is time for her to move on to another career.
While I find her actions unacceptable for her profession, I see no need to burn her at the stake.
No matter the reason, no matter how experienced the teacher, no matter how hard it is to deal with special needs children, this woman is guilty of assault. She committed a crime plain and simple. No amount of excuses Robinhood, Notme, WhoAreYou that you make it doesn’t change the fact that she is guilty beyond a shadow of a doubt (thanks to the video) of assault.
I dont think anyones judging when the facts are on the video
Wow I knew this woman she taught my son for two years and I never thought she could or would do something like this .I as a mother know hard it is to be deal with special needs children I have one and it’s hard to handle him at times there times I have to walk away .but I will say this these kids are in this school because they have disabilities .so it’s not right for anyone to do disaplen them the way she did I’m just saying and she only got suspended that’s crazy
Thou shalt not judge.
Some of you need to take the time to remember this.
Were you there during the situation?
Have you seen the video?
If your answers are NO.. then, don’t make snap opinions.
Thanks.
It is regrettable that an obviously experienced teacher let a bad decision derail an entire teaching career. It seems to me that perhaps she did not intend to turn the desk over, but since it went, she got it off of the student, set it down and walked away. Is this behavior acceptable? Of course not, but I think there is more to it than meets the eye. There are a number of laws surrounding the transportation of these students – make sure you know them before you pass judgement too quickly.
That’s why she’s out on bond. The incident is being investigated to see if further action needs to be taken. Will she be fired? Most likely. Will she serve jail time? Depends on the results of the investigation and if it goes to court.
I’ve been a special educator for the last 34 years. Not much fazes me anymore, but I can understand a bad day – just don’t act on it.
Special needs children and adults can be quite stubborn. She should have gotten assistance to get the child to the bus. That’s what we did when it was necessary.
She got out of jail?!? You people should of given her 1 year to let her think on what she did… Instead will let her have a 10,000$ bond… My lord…
I wouldn’t take her job for twice what she gets paid.
It’s easy to sit back and criticize when you don’t have to deal with what teachers have to deal with every day.
When I was in school, teachers got respect and if they didn’t, the principal took care of it.
Kids now pretty much do what they want to and they know if you touch them, their parents will call the police.
I’m not a teacher and I don’t know this lady but I can just imagine what she goes thru each day and finally had enough.
Maybe if parents and administration would do their jobs a little better, it wouldn’t be all put on the teachers until they reach their breaking point.
This is a tough read. It sounds like she may be used to jarring the student awake to catch the school bus but the method went bad this time. But leaving the student on the floor? Not. That shows some real dis-concern for the student! Teachers need to quit if they have become this jaded. Special ed is not something you can do just for the paycheck. These children are a full-time job. God bless this child, life is hard enough for him/her without being dumped on the floor.
The very reason I personally would not have anything to do with kids anymore, period. MOST are so disrespectful because they do not get taught at home by the so called parents. I remember back in the day when the kids were the ones in the wrong and teachers were able to discipline the kids to get them back in line, not today and the reason kids act like they do. They have NO FEAR at talking back, disrespecting the teacher / authority because they know nothing will be done to them. I once coached (BABY SAT) Baseball from the age of 4 up to 13 years old and I had a kid on my team that always caused problems at practices and I got so tired of him and his ways that I told him to get off my baseball field and he no longer was on our team. The kid started slapping himself and pinching himself on the neck and went home and told his mother that I slapped him multiple times and I hit him on the neck. His mother came up to my practice field and threatened me with the LAW and I told her that I wanted her to call the LAW because her child was about to make a FOOL out of her and himself. I had other kids on my team that told the Mother that her child never was touched or hit by me and she grabbed him by the hand and turned away and walked off. That is a very good reason NOT to ever get involved with teaching / coaching / or having anything to do with any kids for that matter because they can really screw you over IF they realize it and know it. By the way, The kid I just spoke about is ALWAYS in the FELONY ARREST column in the paper SO seems like HIS mother was a terrible parent that let him get away with everything and the very reason we should go back to wearing them all out with the belt or paddle for that matter when they misbehave. DO NOT get involved with having anything to do with the kids and then maybe they may change their minds.
Placed on suspension? Fire the heifer ! There are other ways to handle this. She could have used her Aide or another teacher that was nearby. Let them miss the bus then call the parents and tell them why. It is advisable to call the school resource officer or an official of the school to come and handle situations like this. But with today’s laws regarding putting your hands on someone, not sure anything would help. Coaxing is all you can do with these children. Sounds like the child could endanger themself and others if this isn’t handled immediately. The bad behavior can strike at any moment. Especially on a bus when the child refuses to obey the driver and Aide. It’s a bad situation for everyone.
This is maddening. This woman should not have been bonded out. She should be in jail! If this had been my child or grandchild, I would be in jail today! A slap on the wrist for child abuse but punch someone in the mouth is assault! could have been seriously hurt! Jail time!!
I have know this person for many years she worked diligently and patiently with 2 of my own children and countless other friends and acquaintances children she has always been a remarkable example for us all. I can not believe that she would deliberately hurt a child in any way. My prayers are for this child and her family, but I am also praying for you Mrs. Donna.
Any person in a position of authority needs to be given a complete psychological examination at least every 5 years. From a attendance clerk or whoever interacts with students all the way up to the POTUS. This includes law enforcement, prison guards, and everyone in this field, Judges, lawyers and anyone connected with the “Justice” system. And I could go on and on.
This is sad. She’s not the only one. There are others at Blue Angels Elementary but the district keeps sweeping these incidents under the rug. That only empowers the bad teachers. This person deserves what’s coming to her. So sad for the child, it could have gone much worse but thank God it didn’t. Just awful.
My child is in her class. NOT ANYMORE!!!
WOW!!!!!!!!!!
No excuse for this type behavior. She should have her rights to teach anywhere revoked!
She’s gonna vent her frustration, if she don’t, gonna blow a fifty amp fuse
A person with that type temper and impatience should never be able to teach again!
Which I seriously doubt she will ever be able to.
Really 10,000 bond.. Smh why a bond period.. speechless