Teacher holds autistic child upside down with his head in a trash can as punishment. Cruelty to children charges filed

‘A Cobb County special education teacher was charged with cruelty to children after putting a student with autism in a trash can and comparing him to Oscar the Grouch.

According to the warrant issued by Cobb Schools Police, an employee at Mt. Bethel Elementary witnessed special needs teacher Mary Katherine Pursley holding a second grade boy upside down by his legs above a trash can. The witness saw Pursley lower the boy into the trash can up to his shoulders.

Police say the incident happened during the after school program. The boy came inside upset about another student bothering him. He was screaming and would not calm now. According to the warrant, that’s when Pursley talked with the victim about Oscar the Grouch and his “trashy behavior” and told him, “if he has trashy behavior like Oscar, he’d go in the trash can.”‘

Read more: Teacher holds autistic child upside down with his head in a trash can as punishment. Cruelty to children charges filed