Special Education Teacher Pleads Guilty To Assault On Students

PORT HURON (AP) - An early childhood special education teacher in the Port Huron school district has pleaded guilty to assault and battery charges related to two students.

Fifty-nine-year-old Shirley Thoen of Marysville was arraigned on and pleaded guilty last week to two counts of assault and battery. She was a 36-year employee of the school district.

Tracie Eschenburg with Port Huron Schools says the district began getting complaints about Thoen in September. She says allegations involved general mistreatment in the classroom.

The Times Herald of Port Huron reports a detailed explanation of charges against Thoen was not immediately available Tuesday.

Thoen was put on leave Oct. 30, and she retired from her position after her guilty plea. She declined to comment when reached by phone Tuesday by the newspaper.