Special Ed Teacher Accused Of Abusing Students

State Court in Effingham County Wednesday heard the case of a special education teacher accused of abusing her students inside the classroom.  The Georgia Professional Standards Commission has recommended that Sara Hart’s license to teach be suspended for a year. 
Some witnesses told of students being tied to their desks, shoved into walls and screamed at.
“There were times when Thomas would misbehave, that Sara would take him into the bathroom.  I watched her just slam into a rifting chair and she would shut the door and I would be sitting with the other kids and I would hear him scream, her yelling and it would last a few minutes and then when they’d come out - Thomas’s arms and face would be red,“ said Gloria Eason, Hart’s former Paraprofessional.

Other witnesses though, came to Hart’s defense…including some whose own children were in her class.  They testified she had a great relationship with her students.  Stephanie Lockhart said, “If you were to take Tyler to Sara right now - he would remember who she was and hug and kiss her.“  The hearing will continue tomorrow - with more than a dozen witnesses expected to testify for the defense, including Sara Hart herself.  The judge can then take up to 30 days to make his recommendation to the Professional Standards Commission on her license suspension.  Hart is currently teaching in Effingham County.