Silver Spring teacher charged with assaulting first-graders
A first-grade teacher at a Silver Spring Elementary school has been charged with nine counts of assault for allegedly choking nine of her 6- and 7-year-old students and also kicking, punching and scratching some of them, police said Tuesday.
Susan L. Burke, a teacher at Greencastle Elementary School, was arrested at her home Tuesday.
Susan Lee Burke (Courtesy of Montgomery County Police)
Montgomery County Police said the investigation began Jan. 7, when a boy told police that he had been assaulted several times by his first-grade teacher.
Police learned that several students had allegedly been assaulted by the same teacher, with additional students watching the assaults, police said.
Detectives interviewed all of the students in Burke's class and determined that there were eight additional victims, police said. Eight of the children told police that the
events took place in December during school hours. The ninth child said the assault occurred last March at school.
By
Dan Morse
| February 8, 2011; 4:20 PM ET
Categories:
Dan Morse, Montgomery
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Sounds like Teacher needed a time out.
Posted by: FedUpInMoCo | February 8, 2011 5:09 PM | Report abuse
If Burke is a featherweight, maybe her actions aren't so bad. These days, some first-graders are nearly six feet tall, and weigh as much as 165 pounds.
Posted by: kinkysr | February 8, 2011 5:18 PM | Report abuse
How old is this teacher? Maybe she's ancient and needs to retire but it's hard to tell from this article.
Posted by: CAmira5 | February 8, 2011 5:20 PM | Report abuse
"These days, some first-graders are nearly six feet tall, and weigh as much as 165 pounds."
Now now, kinkysr, not everybody is held back eight years like you were.
"How old is this teacher?"
She's apparently 35. (See link below.)
http://www.capitalregionpulse.com/2011/02/greencastle-elementary-school-teacher.html
Evidently Ms. Burke thinks that exerting classroom control over first graders means acting like one.
Posted by: FedUpInMoCo | February 8, 2011 5:40 PM | Report abuse
Horrible, but not as bad as the MOTHER in Florida who shot her two "mouthy" children. Something is amiss in our society . . . I don't believe it's the teachers . . . time for thoughtful reflection and not quick judgements. There are HUGH stressors on people right now trying to cling to middle class
Posted by: mrpozzi | February 8, 2011 7:43 PM | Report abuse
In checking her court history in MD she is a real mess!! Stress will be her defense.
Posted by: cemea | February 8, 2011 8:11 PM | Report abuse
The few comments I read, which make light of this incident is indicative of how Whites react when someone that share their skin complexion are accused of a very serious crime. It's a big joke! Had it been a person of color there would be calls to murder the accused. These are children that deserve the same respect you (Whites) afford dogs. This teacher should locked-up for a very long time and barred from teaching forever...
Posted by: hritewing | February 8, 2011 9:11 PM | Report abuse
You all are jumping to a conclusion because of something a SEVEN YEAR OLD said? Seriously?
Posted by: gbooksdc | February 8, 2011 9:28 PM | Report abuse
Seriously hritewing - you are still playing the race card? I guess some people will never get educated! I bet you cannot guess why racism still exists! I guess you enjoy the sterotypical judgements passed upon you! I'm white, red and whatever other color is in my gene pool but I don't give a rats a@@ what color a person's skin is - if it's your child being abused I would demand justice - yes, justice - not murder not decapitation or any other stupid comment that comes out of your mouth! Get educated stop hating and GROW UP!
Posted by: Terese0614 | February 8, 2011 10:56 PM | Report abuse
This woman is innocent until proven guilty. How many people have been accused of abusing kids, and later found to be innocent?
Posted by: catbird500 | February 9, 2011 7:27 AM | Report abuse
I detect at least one person on this board that needs to develop a sense of humor. If you were abused by your teacher as a child, I think some more therapy might be needed to help you but don't confuse humor with racism. It seems like you might be predisposed to blame everything on your pre-determined view of caucasians.
Posted by: jaygatsby27 | February 9, 2011 8:58 AM | Report abuse
a white teacher beating punching and kicking black children, and people on this board are defending her. wow!
she worked for 8 years at a predominantly white school and apparently never struck any child.
she works for 1 year at a predominantly black school (with very similar state test scores) and starts beating on kids like she's grandpa freeman.
Posted by: ProfessorWrightBSU | February 9, 2011 9:49 AM | Report abuse
ProfessorWrightBSU is a bigot and sees everyone not the same color as her/him as a threat/enemy
Posted by: underboss | February 9, 2011 10:50 AM | Report abuse
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