Former DC teacher sentenced to probation, community service for assaulting 10-year-old student

WASHINGTON - A former D.C. teacher has been sentenced to two years of supervised probation after she was convicted of assaulting a fourth grade student. It happened last October inside Cleveland Elementary School in Northwest D.C.

Lacey Thornton told police the female student was misbehaving and being disruptive in class last Halloween and she asked the student to get her things and leave. But when the girl tried to get back into the classroom to get something she left behind, that is when she was hit by the teacher.

The assault was captured on a camera in the school hallway.

The video was used in court to convict Thornton of simple assault. It shows the fourth grade student outside the classroom after she was asked to leave. The girl then remembers she had forgotten something and pulled on the door handle. That is when Thornton pushed the child in the face and pulled her hair.

The teacher then went back inside the classroom and the child grabbed her things and reported the assault to another teacher.

Thornton was arrested the following day.

She was given 180 days in jail, but it was all suspended on the condition she meet a number of conditions of her probation.

The judge also told Thornton she would have to take anger management training and write a letter of apology to the victim and her family.

Thornton is also prohibited from working in any position with children unless it is approved by her probation officer.

D.C. Public Schools said in a statement, "We would not be able to comment on any investigations/personnel matters. Of course, the safety and security of our students is our number one priority."