Sep 21, 2007 6:46 pm US/Central
Police: Special Ed. Teacher Roughed Up Students
Patrick McCarthy Charged With Shoving, Tying Up High Junior School Students
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
SCHAUMBURG, Ill. (CBS) ―
-
-
Patrick McCarthy, 30
Courtesy Daily Herald
-
-
McCarthy taught at Robert Frost Junior High for three years.
CBS
A suburban teacher was arrested and accused of violently pushing some of his special education students, and tying at least one of them to a chair.
Patrick E. McCarthy, 30, has been teaching special education classes at Robert Frost Junior High for three years. He has now been removed from the classroom and is facing serious criminal charges.
"Three different students of his special ed class were victims of various cases of either being pushed into a wall, pushed into a filing cabinet, one student was tied to a chair for a period of time," said Sgt. John Nebl of the Schaumburg Police Department.
At the bond hearing before Cook County Circuit Court Judge Kay Hanlon, prosecutors said McCarthy appeared to lose control during the first month of school. They said he slammed one autistic boy into a brick wall and forced another to jump on a trampoline for more than half an hour while wearing a weighted vest. They also said he pushed one student into a metal filing cabinet and tied another one to a chair.
As CBS 2's Mike Parker reports, prosecutors have charged McCarthy with three counts of felony aggravated battery and one count of felony unlawful restraint.
A judge Friday ordered McCarthy held on a $500,000 bond.
The principal of Frost Junior High says two staff members witnessed the incidents and reported them on Tuesday.
"From that point the teacher was never brought back into the classroom," said Principal Paul Goldberg. "The DCFS was immediately notified, as was the police department."
"We're very pleased that staff members came forward to report this and that the school acted very promptly," Nebl said.
Goldberg sent a letter to parents, telling them of the allegations.
And at the McCarthy home in Palatine Friday, a school district messenger delivered written notice of his removal.
"The safety of these kids and all of our students is our primary focus," Goldberg said.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
