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Janice Ricks

Monroe teacher charged with cruelty to students

Posted by
Walter Geiger
in Crime
Thursday, February 25. 2010
Comments (27)
Arrest warrants have been issued for Janice Ricks, a Monroe County public school teacher, for cruelty to children in the first degree (2 counts).

Update:Janice Ricks, 55, of Macon, has turned herself in to the Monroe County Sheriff's Office earlier today, Feb. 25, 2010. Ricks has been charged with two counts of cruelty to children in the first degree. Ricks was released on her own recognizance by Judge Tommy Wilson.

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#1 A Downs Parent on 02/25/10 at 07:50 AM
Special Needs Chidren have a rough enough time getting through life due to the harrasment and intimadation by other children. They don't need it from their teacher as well.

I hope this story ends up being a hoax of some sort though if not I hope she rots in hell for hurting a special child.
#2 cats on 02/25/10 at 09:45 AM
Speechless......
#3 Anonymous on 02/25/10 at 09:53 AM
People just don't know how common this is, especially to special needs kids. All over the USA. Public schools think they are above the law. I can't beleive anything was even done to this teacher. Teacher unions make it about impossible to get rid of bad teachers. A teacher in Texas KILLED a special needs student IN class, in FRONT of the other kids. She did NOT get convicted of anything and is STILL TEACHING!!-

http://www.examiner.com/x-/x-4959-Special-Education-Examiner~y2009m5d23-Is-a-license-to-teach-also-a-license-to-kill
#4 H B on 02/25/10 at 12:31 PM
I believe the judge is a bit liberal here. If I were him, I would have demanded a severe fine, and the wearing of the ID Anklet for this person. They treat the children that way when they do wrong, what about adults, who are supposed to know better?
#5 Anonymous on 02/25/10 at 01:31 PM
Mental health assessment should be required for ALL teachers periodically. It is a stressful job.
#6 Another Down's Parent on 02/25/10 at 02:04 PM
I have a Down's child that does not speak and we are facing public school next year. We are teaching him sign language (even though we have found out that most special ed. Teachers in public school do not know sign language) at home so he can communicate to us what goes on. A lot of special education children do not communicate and the teachers know whatever they do “they will not get told on”. (Sadly this also applies to some parents of special needs children) If your child cannot communicate at school all the school provides is a free baby-sitter.
I do have to say though she is innocent until proven guilty and we do not know the rest of the story.
#7 momofone on 02/25/10 at 03:06 PM
I'd like to be charged with cruelty to her.
#8 momof2 on 02/25/10 at 05:25 PM
I know a teacher that taught in Monroe Co about 10 years ago and reported this teacher to the administration at that time.
#9 Anonymous on 02/25/10 at 08:08 PM
She needs to spend time in jail a long time for doing that to special kids.If that was my child that she did that to i would see to it that she was put away.I dont feel for anyone that hurts a child.She looks mean to me in the picture and im sure she is for real.
#10 Anonymous on 02/26/10 at 02:41 AM
Excuse me, but she was pinching students, not slapping or striking the students. These people who say she needs "severe" punishment need to check up on their facts.
#11 Bill on 02/26/10 at 04:27 AM
She don't need to be back in classroom she needs to be in jail and working on the road in chain gang.This is whats wrong today. no one takes reponseiblty for their actions today.She will use the excuse that she is being mistreated because of being black.
#12 Anonymous on 02/26/10 at 02:07 PM
Pinching? She caused brusing that was recognized by another teacher. No matter neither are tolerable and she has no business doing that to a special needs child. She deserves worse than she will get.
#13 Sheila Tolley on 02/27/10 at 09:39 AM
If that *itch pinched my child, I would beat her so hard her Grandkids would have bruises. This is INTOLERABLE. Devil people hurt special needs children. I wonder how many children she has hurt in the last ten years that was uncalled for since she had been previously reported. I really hope she gets some serious jail time and some serious love pinches from Big Bertha. You mean witch!!!
#14 Sheila Tolley on 02/27/10 at 09:42 AM
You may need to go to jail with her if you approve of pinching children. Any children, but special needs children need special teachers. NOT CHILD ABUSERS!
#15 Anonymous on 02/27/10 at 12:57 PM
AMEN #11 That is so true.If it was a whilt person that did that you will never hear the end of it.But they will just slap her on the hand and say -now dont do that anymore.
#16 An EC Teacher on 02/27/10 at 07:02 PM
Mom of 8. There were several teachers who reported her 10 years ago. Nothing was done at that time. It is sad that it has taken this long for anything to be done. It is unfortunate that when teachers do what they are obligated to do by law in reporting abuse that it is not followed through by administrators.
#17 Anonymous on 02/27/10 at 07:11 PM
The administrator that received these reports should be put in jail with her.
#18 Anonymous on 02/27/10 at 09:01 PM
Are you stupid? Pinching is still child abuse. it is not legal in any school system. She deserves to go to jail. If she pinched these kids when people were watching, there is no telling what she did when no one was looking. There were teachers that reported this to an administrator. Where is she? I hope in jail with Ms. Ricks.
#19 An EC Teacher on 02/27/10 at 09:59 PM
Hopefully all of this will be investigated. I know the abuses go back 10 years and it was reported to the administration and Special Ed.
#20 Anonymous on 02/28/10 at 11:16 AM
The administration needs to be voted out, fired, whatever for letting this go on for so long. People just don't know the corruption of special ed in most schools all over the country. People are paying these educators their paychecks to do this to their children.
#21 annoynmous on 02/28/10 at 04:20 PM
This treatment of school children was well known by many of the school's teachers and principal 10 years ago and for some reason nothing was done.
Hopefully the Georgia legal system will bring justice to all the children that have been cruely treated by this special ed. teacher. The Georgia school system failed them! The pricipal who knowingly allowed this teacher to continue her unexceptable behaviors should also be heald accountable and judged accordingly. Perhaps media attention will help be a motivation for justice.
Praises to those who made attempts 10 years ago to initate an investigation and were ignored. There are some dedicated and wonderful special ed teacher that should not be judged by this.
Finally, and sadly, after years, the issue is going to be addressed.
#22 Mom of 1 on 02/28/10 at 05:26 PM
I agree with every other comment in regards to yours...Are you stupid or are you of those parents who feel it is alright to slap your child around as long as it leaves little bruises??? What about the large bruises it leaves on the childs heart and mind. When you harm a child physically it also harms them emotionally. It is worse on a child who can not speak for themselves or who is not fully understood. She deserves punishment and far worse than what she will more than likely get. I think the administrators who knew about this deserves punishment as well. It is a sick and sad world we live in where innocent children are being "bruised" and "pinched" and there are people who feel that is alright!!!! You are just as sick as she is....
#23 Marie on 03/06/10 at 08:38 AM
There is no excuse for your idiocy..if I found out she layed one finger one my child there would be nowhere she could run fast enough. The fact that it was a special needs child just makes it all the more horrific. Evil people like her give teachers a bad name..you're no better than her..think they should lock you up together..see how much you like it when she starts 'just pinching' you..at least you could defend yourself..idiots..both of you
#24 Anonymous on 03/09/10 at 02:55 PM
children are a gift from GOD they are to be love and you can teach them through love
#25 lornamoxonstroup@yahoo.com on 03/11/10 at 11:37 AM
WOW- What has happened to our world- why arent are class rooms with cameras- so we could see the real teaching and neglect of all of our children- Tax payers would finally see why are kids are messed up- Theres nothing any better than a great teach - I sure remember my great ones and how they made a difference in my life- we are going to have to step up w/ the times- we dont know what is going on behind their closed doors...I got my butt spanked by my teachers and principals all the time..for chewing gum once. but they always had a wittness there to see the truth- fighting or skipping- 3 licks for 3 days...ouch..I hope these special kids finally get the real love and learning they need- I know a few teachers that need to leave the system- cameras in the class rooms would make all the difference-no bullying- no crap -just real teaching...
#26 DISGUSTED on 03/16/10 at 07:19 AM
But if it was a PARENT that was doing this .... Hello DFACS...... bet it wouldn't have taken 10 years for it to surface. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#27 im just sayin... on 03/17/10 at 08:59 PM
I am a teacher and this story blows my mind!! I have worked with both special needs children and the general population. I LOVED my special needs kids so much! I can't imagine treating ANY child like that...even the students that give me the hardest time. On top of the fact that they were so young...this woman was definitely in the wrong profession.
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