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Teacher accused of abusing disabled students
©Associated Press
January 26, 2003
WESTON -- A special needs teacher has been charged with three counts of child abuse, after police investigators concluded she physically and mentally abused some of her developmentally disabled students.
The charges were filed against Anne Lanier, 55, on Friday, although school district officials conducted an investigation that cleared her of wrongdoing.
Investigators allege Lanier stomped on an unruly child's foot and pushed another student down a stairwell during separate incidents in May 2001.
Lanier has taught in Broward County for 20 years, the last 17 of which at the Gator Run Elementary School. She has been on voluntary leave since she was accused.
School district spokesman Kirk Englehardt said a professional standards panel cleared Lanier of all abuse allegations. It's unknown who presented the allegations to the school district and police.
"She was just a teacher working in a difficult class doing the best she could," Englehardt said.
Lanier refused to comment Friday. She does not have a listed phone number.
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