ROCKLIN —
“Taping a child’s hands to the desk,” “forcefully picking up and locking a child out of the classroom” and “pushing her body into a child.”
These are just some of the details former Rocklin Breen Elementary School special education teacher Sherry McDaniel is accused of.
“My son is trying to tell me something, because he is not able to,” parent Keith Caldwell told FOX40 in 2014.
Rocklin Police started a formal investigation in May 2014.
Six months ago, parents brought this into the public spotlight when three families filed a formal complaint against McDaniel for alleged abuse, and school administrators for allegedly not reporting the incident.
“As a parent, you can’t describe the horror and the shock to be contacted by the police dept. telling you your child has been a victim of child abuse,” parent Jenn Hugunin said in 2014.
Now, according to the charges filed by the placer county DA’s office, more victims have come forward.
The documents allege there are six.
FOX40 knocked on McDaniel’s Roseville door this afternoon.
The person who answered confirmed McDaniel still lives in Rocklin.
Neighbors we spoke with question the charges, adding that there are two sides to every story.
The attorneys who represented the initial three complaining families told FOX40 Friday that they hope to see school administrators also charged within the next week.
They’ll be filing a federal civil rights complaint against McDaniel, the principal and other administrators.
The Rocklin Unified School District has issued a statement relating to the claims:
The Rocklin Unified School District is committed to the safety and well being of all students.
The District learned this week that criminal charges have been filed by the Placer County District Attorney’s office against teacher Sherry McDaniel.
The District was first notified by Rocklin Police Department on May 5, 2014 of alleged misconduct of child abuse by Sherry McDaniel and Ms. McDaniel was placed on Administrative Leave the next day.
The District fully cooperated with the law enforcement investigation.
The District initiated disciplinary proceedings against Ms. McDaniel.
As part of the disciplinary process, the District placed Ms. McDaniel on Unpaid Leave effective November 20, 2014.
The California Education Code requires a detailed and time consuming process before a teacher may be dismissed for misconduct.
The District is currently working through the required disciplinary process and a Dismissal Hearing is scheduled for the end of May before the State Office of Administrative Hearings.
