A Florida Middle School Teacher Has Been Suspended For Allegedly Pouring Hand Sanitizer Into A Student’s Mouth

Guyette Duhart, a science teacher at Polo Park Middle School in Wellington, Florida, has officially been suspended for allegedly squirting hand sanitizer into a student’s mouth after disciplining them for talking too much in class, reports People Magazine.

According to the original report of the incident, which occurred in October of last year, Duhart warned her student that she would discipline him by washing his mouth out with soap if he didn’t stop being disruptive.

Duhart insisted that she approached the student with the hand sanitizer but did not actually use it. She claimed that he squirted it into his own mouth and then spit it out onto the floor. She then allowed him to go to the restroom to rinse the sanitizer out.

Her statement was contradicted by six students who allegedly witnessed the entire incident. They claimed that their teacher had poured Up and Up Hand Sanitizer into their classmate’s mouth.

“I was really unaware that anything occurred until he left. He returned to the class and I allowed him to wash out his mouth,” People reported that Duhart told investigators.

Duhart has never been disciplined before in her 12 years of working for the school district. This week, Duhart was officially sentenced to 10 days of suspension without pay. Her sentence is set to begin on March 12.

According to an additional statement from the district made to the outlet, Duhart plans to appeal the charge and “remains reassigned from the school pending the outcome of that appeal.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control, while swallowing a small amount of hand sanitizer is not likely to be harmful, if a large amount is ingested, it can lead to alcohol poisoning.

The story has gained some traction on social media, with many users feeling that the teacher should be receiving a much harsher punishment. Most individuals felt that Duhart should have been charged with assault or have her teaching credentials revoked.

“Suspended should be arrested,” wrote one person.

“[N]eeds to be a psych evaluation as part of the hiring process for teachers i guess, just like cops get” exclaimed another user.

“If that would have been my kid- the teacher would be lucky if that is all they got was a ten day suspension,” tweeted a third individual.

Earlier this month, The Inquisitr reported on another Florida educator who ran into legal trouble. A first-grade teacher from Jacksonville Heights Elementary School was arrested for allegedly trying to purchase methamphetamine on school property. She was removed from duty pending an investigation.