The six Prince George’s County Head Start workers who humiliated and used corporal punishment to discipline children enrolled in the program are no longer allowed to work with any of the county’s students.
Schools CEO Kevin Maxwell, who made the announcement Thursday, said such behavior from any educator hired by the county system will not be tolerated.
“Our message is clear: We will not tolerate this type of behavior,” he said. “Our schools will cultivate teaching and learning environments that prioritize students’ well-being — and we will act swiftly to remove individuals who do not uphold these ideals.”
The behavior “violated our students’ rights and dignity and betrayed parents’ trust,” Maxwell said.
The decision stems from a report by the Department of Health and Human Services that detailed several disturbing cases of abuse and neglect, including a December incident in which a teacher forced a 3-year-old to mop up his own urine after wetting himself during nap time.
Federal authorities ultimately chose to pull more than $6 million in funding from the county’s program amid the abuse allegations.
Maxwell said that disciplinary actions were leveled against the involved employees, but the actions weren’t specified.