Texas Teacher Guilty of Official Oppression

(San Antonio, Texas) A 44-year-old teacher at Salinas Elementary School, Cynthia Ambrose, has been accused of directing students to hit an alleged bully schoolmate.

Reportedly, Ambrose had students line up and hit a 6-year-old to show how it feels to be bullied.

Ambrose was convicted by a jury last Thursday on a charge of official oppression.

The May 2012 incident occurred when the boy was brought to Ambrose by his teacher, Barbara Ramirez, after he hit another student. The boy, now 7, told the jury this week he remembers getting hit by students and later telling his brothers, but they didn't believe him.

"It started out as a pat," Ramirez said. "Then she told the class, `Come on, hit him harder."'

Ramirez was granted immunity in exchange for her testimony. She said she reported the incident to the school principal two weeks later.

Sentencing is scheduled for July 29. She faces a possible year in prison.