Teacher Accused of Stabbing Gas-Passing Student

(Rogersville, Tennessee) In December 2009, a 30-year veteran teacher at the Rogersville Alternative School, Lucia Carico, allegedly stabbed a student repeatedly with a pen after he "passed gas and started singing."

She had been suspended without pay since the day after the alleged incident, which occurred Dec. 16.

School officials said the pen stabbing, which allegedly consisted of seven jabs to the arm, didn’t break the student’s skin but did leave marks.

Yesterday, the Hawkins County Board of Education voted 5-1 to dismiss Carico despite the fact that she is tenured. Five charges have been raised, conduct unbecoming to a member of the teaching profession, incompetence, inefficiency, insubordination and neglect of duty. Carico has 30 days to request a hearing.

It appears that the student provoked Ms. Carico until she snapped and lost her cool. Sadly, Carico will now likely be kicked to the curb for one incident after dedicating her whole working life to teaching.