Updated Nov. 12 at 7:37 p.m.

On Wednesday night, the Dorchester District 2 School Board unanimously voted to suspend with pay former Knightsville Elementary School teacher Rebecca Piersol Crosby.
After an hour in executive session, the school board went into open session to take the vote and were then quick to decline comment on the matter.
Alice Paylor, an attorney for the school board who was present, would not comment on what was discussed in executive session.
The board did not take action against Ruff-Putillion or Watson, neither of whom were at work Thursday, said Pat Raynor, Dorchester 2 public information officer.

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An investigation into the alleged abuse of special needs students at Knightsville Elementary School by the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office resulted Wednesday in the arrests of a former teacher’s assistant as well as a teacher and two administrators who have been reassigned.
The former teacher’s assistant, 38-year-old Heather Martin, is charged with nine felony counts of unlawful neglect of a child.
Martin’s charges stem from several incidents involving at least three autistic students ranging in age from eight to 10, according to arrest affidavits.
The affidavits allege that Martin, over a nine-month span beginning in January:
• Repeatedly placed her hands over the mouth and nose of a screaming student for upwards of 15 minutes in an effort to quiet her.
• Asked the lead teacher, who also was charged, if she could throw small items at the children. She hit two students with pencils, erasers and paperclips, among other small objects.
• Dragged multiple students by their hair, including one incident during which she dragged a student 10 feet to a “time out area.”
• Grabbed a student by his arm and dragged him to “where she wanted him to be,” leaving red marks and bruises.
• Grabbed the hand and genital area of a student after he refused to remove his hands from inside the crotch area of his pants, causing him to scream and leaving a bruise on his hand.
• Hit a student in the back of his head with an open hand and when he began to cry, told him, “Get to work!”
Martin is no longer with Dorchester District 2. Martin’s attorney said her client was given the choice to resign or be fired and on Oct. 20 she resigned.
Rebecca Piersol Crosby, a 38-year-old teacher who was in the same autistic placement classroom as Martin, is charged with three felony counts of unlawful neglect of a child and four felony counts of misprision of a felony (neglect in reporting a crime).
Piersol Crosby was present when Martin put her hands over the mouth and nose of a student and she failed to object, an affidavit states. Also, on two occasions, she allegedly “shrugged her shoulders” and allowed Martin to throw items at students.
Piersol Crosby’s misprision charges stem from when she did not report the alleged abuse and “repeatedly threatened” a witness — presumably another teacher’s assistant — telling her she would lose her job if she kept talking about the incidents, according to affidavits.
She also reportedly said, “what happens in the classroom stays in the classroom.”
Piersol Crosby is still employed by Dorchester District 2, but no longer works as a classroom teacher, said Pat Raynor, the district’s public information officer.
According to the district’s policy manual, “employees arrested for a felony offense will normally be suspended with pay pending adjudication.”
Former principal Anita Ruff-Putillion, 43, and former assistant principal Mary Rita Watson, 47, are both charged with failing to report child abuse or neglect. Their charges are misdemeanors.
According to affidavits, Ruff-Putillion and Watson learned that Martin was being abusive to children and following a meeting, they decided not to notify the parents or anyone outside the school. Their charges are tied specifically to two alleged incidents of abuse.
Ruff-Putillion is now the assistant principal for grades 3-5 at Beech Hill Elementary School and Watson is a fifth-grade teacher at Oakbrook Elementary School. They were reassigned Oct. 20, the same day Martin is said to have resigned.
Wednesday, all four women turned themselves in and were released on their own recognizance several hours later. Magistrate Judge Janice Simmons set Martin’s bond at $90,000 and Crosby’s at $50,000. Ruff-Putillion’s and Watson’s bonds were each $1,000. None of them have criminal records, according to their attorneys.
The small courtroom was packed with family members who spoke to the character of the suspects, both as people and as educators. Simmons asked if anyone wanted to speak on behalf of the alleged victims, but no one came forward.
“I know teaching is a noble profession and I hear all the compliments given to you,” Simmons told the suspects. “But it’s disturbing to see the affidavits. However, you’re innocent until proven guilty.”
The sheriff’s office launched its investigation after someone not connected with Dorchester District 2 schools complained of physical abuse in the classroom, according to Maj. John Garrison.
Sheriff L.C. Knight said Wednesday that “the investigation is not over yet.”
Hours after the charges came to light, Dorchester District 2 called an “emergency” executive session for Thursday night to discuss to the Knightsville case.
“The district is awaiting specific information on the investigation and will review it with legal counsel and district officials to see if there will be any further action,” Raynor said by phone after the bond hearing.