Providence elementary school teacher charged with assault after allegedly slapping student

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — The Providence Police Department said that a teacher at Pleasant View Elementary School allegedly slapped a student on the back on Oct. 16.

59-year-old Susan Rizzo was charged with simple assault or battery.

She was accused of slapping a student on the back in the school’s library after the student hadn’t taken their medications and was acting out.

The student alleged that they felt pain during the slap, and were brought to the police station to report the incident.

The department said that Rizzo was suspended for two days due to the incident.

Providence Public Schools released the following statement:

The safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our highest priority. The recent incident is deeply concerning and unacceptable as every member of our school community deserves to feel safe and respected. We are committed to maintaining that standard. In order to do that, we are constantly assessing our safety protocols and strengthening our communication between staff, students and families.