| Aug 4, 2005 Court dismisses assault, battery case against former Latta teacher By ANGELA CROSLAND Morning News An assault and battery charge against a former Latta Elementary School teacher was dismissed in court this week because of a lack of evidence. Deborah Rogers, 42, was accused of throwing a book at one of her students. On Tuesday, a judge said there wasn't enough evidence to support the assault and battery charge against her. Latta police were contacted an hour and a half after the episode reportedly occurred April 20 and filled out a report labeling the incident assault and battery on a minor. According to the report, a 9-year-old student said that while in class, his pencil broke and fell. When he leaned down to pick it up he said, his teacher, Rogers, yelled, "Sit down!" The students in the class of 22 started laughing and calling the student's name while the teacher was reading, according to the report. The student said he turned around to look at the students calling his name when he heard someone yell, "Watch out!" When he looked up, he said he saw a book being thrown toward him, according to the report. The student said he tried to stop it, to no avail, and the book struck him in the chest, causing him to cry. Latta police served Rogers with a warrant for her arrest and soon after, she was released from her contract as a teacher for the school. Some time later, Rogers also was charged with criminal domestic violence against her spouse. The charges in that case are still pending. http://www.morningnewsonline.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=FMN%2FMGArticle%2F FMN_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031784265229&path=!news |