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Florida Teacher Suspended For Washing Out Student's Mouth With Hand Sanitizer

WEST PALM BEACH (CBSMiami/AP) — A Florida middle school teacher is in hot water for using hand sanitizer to wash out the mouth of a student who was talking too loud in her class.

The Palm Beach County school board voted Wednesday to suspend Guyette Duhart for 10 days without pay for the Oct. 14 incident at Polo Park Middle School in Wellington, according to the Palm Beach Post.

Six students told Palm Beach County school district officials that the teacher grabbed a bottle of hand sanitizer and pumped it into the student's mouth, an investigative report said.

Duhart admitted to school investigators that she put the hand sanitizer near the student's mouth but said that he grabbed the bottle and pumped it into his own mouth, the newspaper reported.

The report said the student spit on the floor and left the classroom.

"I was really unaware that anything occurred until he left," she told investigators. "He returned to the class and I allowed him to wash out his mouth."

Duhart did not respond to messages seeking comment.

She remains on an alternative assignment as she appeals the suspension.

(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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