Teacher Accused of Assaulting Autistic Students

(Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania) A 61-year-old special-needs teacher at Carbondale Elementary School, Jane Forgione, has been accused of assaulting three autistic boys. She faces a charge of misdemeanor assault which carries a maximum five-year prison sentence if convicted.

It's alleged that Forgione punched a student in the back which left a red mark. Two teachers' aides witnessed the incident.

Another classroom assistant told police she observed questionable behavior by Mrs. Forgione in October and November. For instance, she told police she once saw Mrs. Forgione grab a student by his cheek and twist it, leaving a red mark, and said she witnessed her twisting a student’s ear.

The assistant also said she witnessed Mrs. Forgione once bite a student on his hand hard enough to leave teeth marks.

Another classroom aide told police she saw Mrs. Forgione step on a student's feet to keep him from kicking.

Interestingly, Forgione was the winner of the 2006 Teacher of the Year award from an autism support group. She is married to the Dunmore High School principal James Forgione.

Mrs. Forgione was arraigned before Judge Sean McGraw with bail set at $15,000.

I tend to think that this case is much ado about little. We'll see.