Hair-pulling report prompted action

Knightsville Elementary School's top three administrators were removed from their posts after failing to report to proper authorities an alleged incident in which a school employee pulled a child's hair, forced him into his seat and grabbed his arm so tightly it left marks.

A person who was in a classroom for autistic students at the school reported seeing a teacher pull a kneeling 6-year-old boy from the floor by his hair and put him in his chair, according to a report Oct. 2 from the Dorchester County Sheriff's Office. The child then put his hand in his pants, the report said, and the teacher grabbed the boy's arm so tightly it left marks.

The person who observed the alleged incident Aug. 20 told her psychologist that she reported it to the school's administration but nothing was done about it. The psychologist then reported the allegations to the Sheriff's Office, according to the report.

Dorchester District 2 officials, in a news release Tuesday, stated the incident involved a teaching assistant, not a teacher. The Sheriff's Office is investigating the allegations. No charges have been filed.

Parents said Tuesday night they were confused and shocked by the administrative team's abrupt departure, and the initial lack of information fed speculation about the trio's removal. The Post and Courier tried to obtain the incident report Wednesday and the Sheriff's Office provided it Thursday.

The district learned about the allegations from sheriff's deputies who were following up on the psychologist's report, said Pat Raynor, public information officer for District 2.

After learning of the allegations, the district removed Knightsville Principal Anita Ruff-Putillion and Assistant Principals Mary Rita Wilson and Les Kephart from their posts. The administrators will be placed in jobs elsewhere in the district, Raynor said.

The news release from the school district Tuesday also said that "appropriate disciplinary actions were also taken for persons involved." It did not say specifically what happened to the teaching assistant.

The school district removed the administrators Friday and had a new team in place at the school Monday.

Knightsville's new principal, Wally Baird, was working as an assistant principal at Beech Hill Elementary when he was tapped for the job. Claire Sieber and Nicole Ramsey, who were assistant principals at Spann Elementary School and Newington Elementary School, respectively, have assumed the assistant principal positions at Knightsville Elementary.

Reach Diane Knich at 937-5491 or dknich@postandcourier.com.