BRADENTON, Florida — A Manatee County middle school teacher has been arrested and faces criminal child abuse charges after authorities said she ordered a student to slap a classmate who would not stop talking during class.
The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office arrested Judith Clark, 64, following an investigation into the classroom incident at Lee Middle School. Detectives reported that Clark repeatedly instructed a student to quiet down. When the student continued to speak, Clark allegedly asked the classroom which of them wanted to slap the individual.
According to witness accounts provided to deputies, when no students volunteered and the child resumed talking, Clark asked the room a second time if anyone wanted to strike the student. After receiving no response from the class, the teacher reportedly ordered two students to close the classroom window blinds and then explicitly directed a 12-year-old student to strike his classmate.
Investigators stated that the 12-year-old student obeyed the directive out of fear of getting into trouble with the teacher, delivering an open-handed slap across the victim’s face. Law enforcement officials confirmed that the sixth-grade student who administered the slap will not face criminal charges. The incident was brought to light after another student who witnessed the event informed their parents, who then reported the matter to authorities.
School administrators removed Clark from her classroom duties immediately after the sheriff’s office launched its investigation. Clark, who began her employment with the Manatee County School District in 2019, had already been notified on April 8 that her contract would not be renewed for the upcoming school year. Her final scheduled day of employment had been set for May 29.
The Manatee County School District released a statement indicating that the incident is deeply concerning and fails to reflect the standards or expectations held for employees. The district noted that it contacted the Department of Children and Families on May 14 after receiving the initial information and worked collaboratively with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and Child Protective Services.
Clark was booked into custody with a bond set at 7,500 dollars. Under the terms of her supervised release, she is prohibited from having any contact with the victim or any individual under the age of 18.
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