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Unwitting teacher yanks insulin pump

Associated Press
Published October 6, 2005


CLERMONT - Cliffton Hassam, a junior at East Ridge High School, is diabetic and wears an insulin pump to regulate his blood sugar. The pump began beeping in class Friday. Before he could turn it off, substitute teacher Richard Maline yanked it from his leg.

Maline thought it was a cell phone.

"It fell to the floor," Hassam said in a written statement given to school officials Tuesday. "The second time he pulled it the tube came out of my leg."

Maline then realized his mistake.

Maline has been removed from the substitute teacher pool, said Russell Anderson, the Lake County schools' human resources director.

Hassam said his blood sugar levels did not return to normal until after the weekend.

His mother, Eva Hassam, said she complained to the Lake County Sheriff's Office. She wants someone charged.

[Last modified October 6, 2005, 01:13:15]


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Comments on this article
by Dawn 03/04/08 05:43 AM
shouldn't the teacher be told of students with life threatening medical conditions? What if the student went into diabetic shock and the teacher didn't know what was going on? Treatment could have been delayed because of it.
by Jason A. 02/29/08 08:50 AM
Even if it was a cell phone, the teacher had no right to just yank anything from a student! Obiously this guy needs to choose a new profession.
by bob 02/29/08 08:50 AM
whats wrong with saying to the student give me the cell phone,,, hand it over ,,but no he had to just rip it from his body,,, to tell ya the truth here i would sue ,,sorry but this is just another sub/teacher who just cant keep his hand off the stu,
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