HARRIMAN, Tenn. – The director of the Roane County schools said a March incident in which a kindergarten teacher had students oink like pigs at a messy classmate was a black eye on the schools.
Teacher Debbie Hayes was given a letter of reprimand and a one-day suspension last month after the incident at Bowers Elementary school, according to The Knoxville News Sentinel.
Dr. Toni H. McGriff, director of the county school system, said the incident on March 16 was “simply unbelievable.”
Hayes, who has taught kindergarten in Roane County for 38 years, could not be immediately reached on Wednesday. A secretary at the school declined to take a telephone message for her. A message was left at a telephone listing for Deborah Hayes in Kingston.
Another teacher walked into Hayes’ classroom and saw children standing around a crying boy and making pig noises. That teacher told principal Candace Lett what was seen Hayes and Lett met with McGriff the next day to discuss it