First grade teacher accused of assaulting student

JASPER COUNTY, S.C. — Deputies are investigating a reported assault by a teacher in an elementary school.

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On Oct. 9, April Lowe, a first-grade teacher at Ridgeland Elementary School in South Carolina, allegedly assaulted one of her students as a form of discipline.

After an investigation, the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office charged Lowe with unlawful conduct towards a child.

Lowe was arrested Friday and booked into the Hampton County Detention Center.

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The sheriff’s office said the well-being of its students remains its highest priority.

“The safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority, and we take incidents of this nature very seriously. We are working closely with school officials and the Jasper County School District to ensure that all students are provided with a safe and secure learning environment,” JCSO said.

The Jasper County School District released the following statement to ABC-affiliate WJCL:

“Jasper County School District can confirm that law enforcement notified the District administration on October 11, 2024, of the arrest of April Lowe. Consistent with our practice in situations where an employee is arrested, Ms. Lowe has been placed on administrative leave. At this time, it would not be appropriate for the District to comment further because of the ongoing nature of the criminal investigation and personnel matter; however, we will continue to monitor this situation and take appropriate action based on the outcome of the investigation. In addition, we wish to make clear that the well-being and safety of children are top priorities of the District.”

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