Cumming Teacher Faces Cruelty To Children Charge

CUMMING, GA —A teacher at the Futures Program Forsyth Center was arrested around 11 a.m. Tuesday after police said she hit a 10-year-old student in the face with her purse.

Felicita Herrington was charged with cruelty to children in the second degree, according to an incident report released Thursday by the Cumming Police Department.

According to the report, a male student was frustrated because math class did not start on time due to a meeting and schoolwork was not immediately available. Herrington wrote math problems on the board for the class to solve, but the boy refused to complete them, according to the report.

The boy told Herrington she was not smart, and in one instance called her "stupid," police said in the report.

A witness told police the boy lunged at Herrington, after which the teacher swung her purse, hitting the student, the report said.

Herrington claimed she did not intentionally hit him and was trying to defend herself, according to the report.

Police said the boy had redness and puffiness around his right eye but no other injuries.

Herrington's employment status with the center was unknown Thursday afternoon.

According to its website, the Futures Program offers services for students between the ages of 5 and 21 who have been diagnosed with disabilities.