By Martin Davis, FXBG ADVANCE
Arrest was related to an incident that occurred in April. The accused teacher was previously interviewed in 2017 regarding another accusation of assaulting a student – that case was deemed unfounded.
Gloria Joan Jackson, a behavioral interventionist with Spotsylvania County Public Schools, has been charged with one count of misdemeanor assault and battery for striking a 6-year-old male student with a shoe. The child was uninjured.
The incident occurred on April 11, 2024, and a School Resource Officer at Cedar Forest Elementary School was made aware of the accusations. During the course of the investigation, a video of the assault was presented to investigators showing the school employee striking the 6-year-old male with a shoe.
Jackson’s trial date has been set for July 10 in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court.
The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by Spotsylvania Social Services and School administration in this investigation. At the time of the incident, the School Division immediately placed Jackson on leave and has since terminated her employment.
The Advance has learned that this is not the first incident involving Jackson.
On June 13, 2017, a police report was filed describing how a student at Berkeley Elementary School accused Jackson of physically assaulting him. He described Jackson not as his teacher, but as someone who helps him when he gets upset.
The student interviewed by police said that Jackson told him to “Get over here or I’m going to get you,” according to the report. He then said that Jackson pushed all the desks into him and grabbed him by the neck.
At the time, Jackson was the county facilitator for the Special Education program in the county.
According to the police report, the student had no marks and did not want to be photographed.
On June 7, 2017, Jackson was interviewed by a detective and a Child Protective Services worker. She reported that on May 30 the general education classroom teacher called Jackson to his classroom to assist with the student.
She observed the student running around the room and pulling papers off the wall.
She reported getting the other students out of the classroom and tried to calm him down. She further reported that the student started hitting and punching her in the chest. She said she did grab his shirt by the back just so that he wouldn’t hurt himself or her anymore.
The Assistant Principal stepped in and pulled the student away.
Told several days later that the student had accused her of assaulting him, she said that she was following the directions of principal when it came to her interactions with the student. The student was suspended for three days for hitting/punching her.
At the close of the investigation, the case was closed unfounded, and there was no evidence to support any criminal charges.
This article first appeared in the FXBG Advance and is republished with permission.
