TOLEDO, Ohio — A Toledo elementary school teacher is facing assault charges after allegedly throwing a student to the ground during class Tuesday at Spring Elementary School.
Garrett Pelz, a 29-year-old licensed as an intervention specialist for grades kindergarten through 12, pleaded not guilty to one assault charge and one safe school assault charge on Wednesday. He has also been placed on paid administrative leave, Toledo Public Schools District Superintendent James Gant said in a statement.
According to court documents, staff had to take the children out of the classroom after some of the kids tried to clean blood out of the carpet with wet wipes.
"The number one priority for the district is the safety and security of our students and staff members and any time there is a reported incident between a student and staff member, the district takes swift and appropriate action," Gant said in a statement.
Pelz is also licensed as a substitute language arts teacher for grades 7-12, according to the Ohio Department of Education.
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