‘Who wants to slap him?’: Florida teacher urged students to hit classmate, authorities say

A Florida middle school teacher was arrested on a child abuse charge for instructing two students to slap their classmate, according to authorities.

The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday said Judith Clark, 64, a sixth-grade teacher at Lee Middle School, was taken into custody earlier this week following an investigation.

Judith Clark (Photo: Manatee County Sheriff’s Office)

“According to the investigation, Clark repeatedly told a student to stop talking during class before asking the class, ‘Who wants to slap him?'” the sheriff’s office said in a news release, adding that the alleged incident happened on May 13.

“Witnesses stated that when no one volunteered and the student started talking again, Clark asked the question a second time,” per the release. “After receiving no response, Clark instructed two students to close the classroom window blinds and then directed another student to strike the victim. According to witnesses, the student complied and gently slapped the victim across the face with an open hand.”

Authorities said the 12-year-old student “who carried out the slap” told detectives he did it because he was afraid of disobeying the teacher. The sheriff’s office added that he is not facing charges.

“Once the investigation began, school administrators removed Clark from the classroom, and she had no further contact with students,” authorities said.

Citing witness interviews and statements from multiple students, the sheriff’s office said detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Clark. She was arrested and booked into the Manatee County Jail on a charge of child abuse without great bodily harm.