Iowa Teacher Gets Probation for Child Assault

(Davenport, Iowa) In August 2010, a 36-year-old language arts teacher at North Scott Junior High School, Kelley Jo Gerdts, was accused of felony child endangerment for beating a teenager.

Gerdts was booked and released on $5,000 bond.

Last week, Gerdts pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of misdemeanor assault in accordance with a plea agreement which dismissed felony counts of child endangerment.

The victim was not one of her students. Police said they had an audio recording of one of the beatings taking place.

The audio recording is from an MP3 player and was recorded by another minor, police said.

Now 37, Gerdts was sentenced to one year of probation.