Special education teacher resigns

By By Lynette Wilson / staff writer
Dec. 10, 2002
A Meridian public school teacher whose assistant faces simple assault charges for biting one of their special education students has resigned from office.
John Compton, attorney for the Meridian School Board, said Monday that, as of last week, Betty Linton no longer worked for the school district. Her assistant, Linda Hood, resigned following the October biting incident.
School board members had been expected to discuss the incident at a Monday work session.
Instead, they closed their meeting to discuss personnel matters and their search for a new superintendent to replace Janet McLin, who will retire June 30.
Linton taught special education preschool at West Hill Elementary School until mid-October when Hood bit a 4-year-old mildly autistic boy. Linton and Hood were removed from the classroom.
The child's father, Randy Routt, filed charges against Hood.
Routt was at the school district's administrative offices on Monday in anticipation that board members would discuss the matter.
Routt said he is unsure if he will take legal action against the school district. He also said he is sorry for the loss of a good teacher.
Routt said he is dissatisfied with the way the school district handled the matter. He said he would like to see video cameras installed in classrooms where children cannot speak for themselves.
Compton said the board will take no action or change district policy based on the incident because both Linton and Hood resigned. He said McLin and Routt apologized to Routt.