An Alabama special needs teacher honored as Teacher of the Month allegedly poured hot sauce on a student who stuck out their tongue

A special needs teacher in Houston County, Alabama, has been arrested on a child abuse charge after deputies alleged she poured hot sauce on a student’s tongue. According to WTVY, Heather Varner Hunter, 46, taught at Cottonwood Elementary School, and the Houston County Sheriff’s Office carried out the investigation.

Deputies allege that Hunter used the hot sauce to punish the student for sticking out their tongue in September. A sheriff’s office investigation followed the incident, according to the report. Jail records show she was arrested on Oct. 26. She was released after posting a $2,500 bond.

Houston County Schools Superintendent Brandy White stated that Hunter is “no longer employed by the Houston County School System.” White added that the district cooperated fully with the investigators and turned all of its information over to the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR).

Hunter’s background and what Alabama law says

Hunter was named Teacher of the Month in March by radio station 95.5 WTVY-FM. In an interview about the award, she stated that she had taught at Cottonwood Elementary for eight years and had 18 years of experience as an educator. Hunter has not been convicted of any crime, and the charge is an allegation. Reports describe the charge as child abuse.

Alabama’s child abuse law, Ala. Code § 26-15-3, applies to a “responsible person” who commits acts such as “willfully mistreat” or “cruelly beat” against a child under 18. A conviction under that law is a Class C felony. Ala. Code § 26-15-2 defines a responsible person to include anyone with “temporary care or custody or responsibility for the supervision of a child.”

A Class C felony carries a prison sentence of one year and a day to 10 years and a fine of up to $15,000. A judge decides the sentence if a case ends in a conviction. State law also lists K-12 teachers and school officials among the people who must report known or suspected child abuse, under Ala. Code § 26-14-3. Reports must be made orally “immediately” and followed by a written report.

Under Ala. Code § 26-14-13, any person who knowingly fails to make a required report is guilty of a misdemeanor. The penalty is up to six months in jail or a fine of up to $500. The reporting law also covers doctors, dentists, social workers and law enforcement officials. The duty applies when a child is known or suspected to be a victim of abuse or neglect.

An employer who retaliates against an employee for making a report is guilty of a Class C misdemeanor. That provision appears in the same section that lists the people required to report. School incidents involving children have been reported elsewhere as well, including a Virginia first-grader cursing at police.