School employee who was fired was found not guilty of assaulting student, SC records show
UPDATE: Following her arrest Shermanda Thompson was found not guilty, South Carolina court records show.
Original Story
A woman who worked at an area high school was fired and arrested after she assaulted a student Tuesday, Richland County officials said.
Shermanda Thompson, 38, was charged with third-degree assault and battery, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department said.
Thompson worked as a campus monitor at Lower Richland High School, according to the sheriff’s department. The Richland 1 school is in Hopkins off Garners Ferry Road.
Thompson told a female student to get up from a desk and then became involved in a verbal argument with the student, the sheriff’s department said.
When the student refused to get up, Thompson tried to physically remove her from the seat and a physical altercation ensued inside the classroom, according to the sheriff’s department.
The student was not seriously injured, Richland 1 Superintendent Dr. Craig Witherspoon said.
Thompson was arrested and taken to the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, the sheriff’s department said. No bond has been set for Thompson, who remains behind bars, jail records show.
If convicted on the misdemeanor charge, Thompson faces a maximum punishment of 30 days in jail and a $500 fine, according to South Carolina law.
In addition to the criminal charge, Thompson also lost her job.
“(Thompson) has been terminated by the district,” Witherspoon said in a news release. “Our priority is to protect the health and safety of our students, and we do not tolerate or condone this type of behavior by any district employee. We will ensure that the student receives support and counseling as needed.”
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This story was originally published November 16, 2022 at 8:54 AM.
