8-year-old special need girl assaulted by teacher, cops say

SEEKONK (FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) - A Seekonk teacher has been charged with assaulting an 8-year-old student in a special needs class at a regional school.

Erin Jarvis, 32, of Attleboro, will be summonsed to Taunton District Court on a charge of assault and battery on a child under 14.

Jarvis, who is a a teacher at the South Coast Educational Collaborative on North Street, is accused of dragging the girl by her feet when she refused to go to a time-out area reserved for disciplinary purposes. The alleged assault was reported to have occurred on April 27.

The girl was attended to by a school nurse for rug burn-like abrasions on her back, according to the police report.

The school informed the girl's guardian of the incident, which remains under investigation. Jarvis is not working at the school pending the outcome of the case.

The South Coast Educational collaborative operates a regional school for emotionally and physically challenged children in the former North School.