COWETA COUNTY, Ga. — Parents of students with special needs in Coweta County say they're not getting justice, months after their children were allegedly abused in school. 11Alive has been following the story since December.
Six families met with the Coweta County District Attorney Friday to hear about possible charges for the people they say are responsible.
The allegations are disturbing.
A parapro at Elm Street Elementary School accused the lead teacher in a special needs classroom of throwing a shoe at a child's head, placing her hands around one of their necks, and being verbally abusive to them.
Parents said they weren't told about the allegations until weeks after it happened, and that the principal violated mandated reporting laws by not contacting police sooner.
Since then, there's been an open police investigation, the principal has been disciplined by the school, and both the teacher and the parapro have been placed on paid administrative leave.
The parents 11Alive spoke to on Friday said they were hoping to hear the district attorney would be filing child abuse charges against. Instead, they said they left without a resolution.
"It's disappointing that in the end of this, the kids won't get a voice. And it's disappointing that they'll be offered less than what they deserve," said Jillian Wooten.
Her 12-year-old son Aiden was involved in the alleged abuse and went with her to the meeting.
Wooten said the district attorney talked to them about offering plea deals to the teacher, parapro, and principal involved that would be misdemeanor charges. She said she wanted a jury trial.
"I don't think it's fair," she said. "If we lose, we lose. But I would feel so much better if we just tried to go to trial and maybe we don't win, but at least we tried, instead of, let's offer this and let's offer this. No one is taking responsibility. Where's the justice for the kids?"
Nothing is final yet, and Wooten said they won't know the official agreement until next week.
The principal is back at Elm Street Elementary and both the teacher and parapro have moved on to other jobs in education.