Metro Atlanta preschool teacher pinched, locked children in bathroom for misbehavior, parents say

Yahoo

05-02-2025

A beloved preschool teacher in Decatur is under investigation after multiple parents accused her of getting physical with their children and locking them in a bathroom when they misbehaved.
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The allegations came from parents with children at East Lake Early Learning Academy, which has a partnership with the YMCA and serves as a feeder school to Drew Charter School.
Multiple sources told Channel 2′s Michael Seiden that the accused teacher 'grabbed' and 'pinched' their arms and locked them in a bathroom when they didn't listen to her.
Channel 2 Action News isn't identifying the teacher because she hasn't been charged with a crime.
A spokesman for the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning confirmed that the academy filed a report with the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services on Tuesday.
'The center just entered a required report to DFCS about an email from a parent in the 3-year-old classroom,' wrote Reg Griffin, Chief Communications Officer for DECAL.
'The parent advised the program that her child had a scratch on her arm and that her child advised her that the teacher grabbed her child by the arm, causing a scratch.'
Griffin added that the report will be screened by DFCS and it will follow through to determine if an investigation by DECAL is warranted.
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Channel 2 Action News reached out to the YMCA of Metro Atlanta and it issued the following statement:
'Yesterday, the YMCA of Metro Atlanta was made aware of a potential situation involving a teacher at the East Lake Early Learning Academy. As soon as we were informed, we followed standard protocols by promptly contacting the Bright from the Start state agency overseeing the program to ensure the matter was reviewed appropriately. Child safety remains our top priority at the Y, and we are committed to providing the East Lake community youth with a safe and supportive environment to learn.'
Channel 2 Action News reviewed state records that show the school is in 'good standing.' But there have been problems in the past.
Records show that the school was ordered to pay fines to the state following investigations in 2020, 2021 and 2022, which were all self-reported.
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On January 16, 2020, an investigation revealed that a two-year-old child was strapped into a wooden chair while crying.
'The teacher was observed to place a knee on the back of the chair, causing the child's chest to be pressed against the table,' wrote the investigator. 'The staff member asked the child,' Want to go cry in the bathroom?' The child was then locked in the restroom while being strapped to the chair for 26 minutes. The child was allowed out of the restroom, but remained strapped in the chair.'
Investigators also reviewed video footage from a Jan. 17 incident that showed another staff member's misconduct.
'A staff member took another child's open hand and hit a two-year-old child in the face twice and on the back multiple times,' wrote the investigator.'
The current director was not in charge of the school when it was investigated in 2020.