By: Erin L. Nissley/STAFF WRITER 03/25/2008
SCRANTON -- A former special needs teacher who pleaded no contest to hitting her autistic students last year will serve 18 months of probation.
Jane Forgione, 62, 142 Ross St., Dunmore, was in court Tuesday morning for sentencing on one count of simple assault.
She was accused of mistreating several students at Carbondale Elementary possibly dating back to 2005, including punching an autistic student in the back April 26, 2007 after telling him to push in his chair.
Teacher's aides working in the back of the classroom saw the incident and reported it to school officials, according to court records. Ms. Forgione was also accused of biting an autistic student and pinching and twisting anothers' cheek.
Her attorney, Jack Brier, said Ms. Forgione is a well-respected special education teacher who made a mistake.
"This woman has done nothing but try and help children for over 30 years," he said. "This was not a type of incident that was premeditated."
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