Teacher pleads guilty to assault for hitting autistic student

Associated Press

FERGUS FALLS, Minn. - A former special education teacher in Fergus Falls is prohibited from teaching in public or private schools for two years for slapping an autistic kindergartner in the face.

Patrick Sagerhorn entered an Alford plea Friday in Otter Tail County District Court, acknowledging there might be enough evidence to convict him in a trial, but not admitting that he slapped the 5-year-old boy.

In addition to the teaching ban, Sagerhorn was ordered to pay $500 in court costs and not have a similar violation for two years.

The Minnesota Department of Education and the state Board of Teaching will decide whether Sagerhorn will be allowed to teach after the two-year ban.

The Fergus Falls school board fired Sagerhorn in December. He had been with the school for 28 years.

According to the complaint, another teacher saw Sagerhorn give the boy a tissue outside a classroom on Oct. 18. After the boy threw the tissue on the floor, the witness said Sagerhorn slapped the boy across the face and told him sternly, "You don't do that."

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