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Teacher in hitting case asks for job
hearing
Arizona Republic
Feb. 19, 2004 12:00 AM
ARCADIA - An Ingleside Middle School teacher who allegedly hit students for
speaking Spanish in class instead of English has asked for an employment hearing
in hopes of keeping her job.
In January, the Scottsdale School Board started the process to fire Kim
Youngblood, who teaches English Language Learner students. She has been on leave
since April 2003, when a parent complained her child was hit. Youngblood told an
investigator for the Scottsdale Unified School District that she was enforcing
the district's English immersion program and did not intend to injure the
children. She describes the physical contact as a "gentle touch on the shoulders
or a tap on the wrist."
A hearing date has not been set. District officials said Youngblood hit or
slapped eight students at the east Phoenix school. Some children said they were
hit multiple times.
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