School suspends Wendell teacher charged with assaulting student with disability

A Wendell teacher has been charged and suspended after allegedly assaulting a student with a disability.

An arrest warrant from the Wake County Sheriff's Office said Lori Holland, 54, hit and dragged a student with a disability down a school hallway. Documents said it happened on Jan. 30.

The arrest warrant said that student is younger than 16 years old. Carver Elementary's principal, Wenitra Merritt, sent a message to families about the incident and said Holland has been suspended with pay.

"The charged conduct is related to an incident that occurred on our campus with one of our students," Merritt said. "I want to assure you that we take the safety of our students and staff members very seriously. While privacy laws prevent me from providing much additional information about the situation, I can share that Ms. Holland is suspended."

Holland is charged with misdemeanor child abuse and assaulting an individual with a disability.

She denies any wrongdoing. Holland told WRAL News that the student dropped to the floor, and she was trying to get him to stand up.

"Even the teacher's assistant that was walking behind me said I didn't hurt him," she said.

Holland said she doesn't understand why she's being accused of dragging and hitting the child.

"I would never hit the child," she said. "That's why I became a special ed teacher — to protect these children from teachers that actually abuse them."

Holland says she believes a parent reported the incident.