Pupils say sub taped them to seat

AMARILLO, Texas - A swift investigation into a report that a Sunrise Elementary School substitute teacher taped two fifth-graders to their chairs Wednesday ended with the substitute's termination.

The substitute, whose name Amarillo Independent School District spokeswoman Becky McIlraith withheld Friday citing privacy issues, volunteered to resign but was fired by the district Thursday, the day the incident was reported. Ms. McIlraith said the fifth-grade class' regular teacher found out about the incident when she returned to class and asked her students what happened while she was away.

Ms. McIlraith said the substitute's actions are not consistent with the school district's behavioral policy.

"I think it was meant as a joke to kind of settle them down," Ms. McIlraith said. "Clearly, it wasn't a good joke."

The substitute teacher had worked with the district since completing training in 2003. The district requires substitute teachers to complete a number of college hours and undergo a screening process, Ms. McIlraith said. The substitute didn't have prior disciplinary problems, district Superintendent Rod Schroder said.

The incident marked the second local case involving a substitute using tape on children.

In an unrelated incident in May, parents told officials that a substitute teacher duct-taped the mouths of their Will Rogers Elementary fourth-graders.

An investigation into that incident also concluded with the firing of that substitute, Ms. McIlraith said.