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Education

See the Images of Virginia Teacher’s Alleged Assault on 10-Year-Old Student During ‘Islamic Hand Sign’ Lesson

Oct. 18, 2012 3:44pm Jason Howerton

UPDATE: Husband Defends Virginia Teacher Accused of Assaulting Student in ‘Islamic Hand Signal’ Case

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Tara Harris and her husband Dale Harris. Photo credit: WAVY-TV

TheBlaze first reported about a Virginia teacher who has been charged with simple assault after a parent accused her of injuring her daughter’s hand while forcing the class to learn an “Islamic hand sign.”

Tara Harris, who joined Butts Intermediate School in September as a fifth-grade learning disabilities special education teacher, was charged on Oct. 11 and released on a summons, according to the Chesapeake Police Department. Police confirmed that Harris was charged in connection with an incident that occured at Butts Road Intermediate School but did not provide any additional information.

Stephanie Bennett says her daughter came home from school with a cut on her hand and a swolen finger after Harris yanked and twisted her hand into an Islamic hand sign because she didn’t get it right. She says her daughter’s skin got caught on the metal wire of her notebook.

Bennet provided pictures of her daughter making the “Islamic hand signs” that Harris allegedly made students learn. The images also appear to show a small cut on the knuckle of the 10-year-old’s right index finger and from the incident that occured nearly two weeks ago. The mother says the tip of the girl’s finger is also red and swolen from Harris twisting it.

Another parent, Nita Redditt, backed up Bennett’s claims after she says she talked to her son.

Chesapeake School Board member Harry Murphy told TheBlaze on Thursday that the adminstration will not be able to comment on Harris’s case because it is a “personnel issue.” Murphy refused to even confirm or deny that Harris had been terminated from the school system.

However, he did say every person is innocent until proven guilty and should Harris appeal the school board’s decision, presumably to let her go, the Chesapeake Board of Education would be forced to be the “final jury” in a sense.

Despite making calls to all nine school board members and Superintendent Dr. James Roberts, Murphy is the only person who has responded.

According to the minutes from the Chesapeake School Board’s Oct. 8 meeting, members held a “closed meeting” about “personnel” involving “consideration of employment, assignment, appointment, promotion, demotion, salaries, disciplining or resignation of publi officers, appointees, or employees of any public body.”

Harris’ next-door neighbor, William Moore, told PilotOnline.com that Harris is not a Muslim. “They’re the nicest people you ever wanted to meet,” he said.

“Ahmed Noor, a trustee at the Mosque and Islamic Center of Hampton Roads in Hampton, said there are no hand gestures in the religion of Islam; however as different cultures practice the religion, there could be a culture that both practices Islam and uses some sort of hand gesture,” PilotOnline.com reports.

WAVY-TV has also reported on the issue following TheBlaze’s exclusive report.

Additional attempts to contact Harris were unsuccessful. The teacher’s side of the story is the one big piece still missing in this incident.

Harris is scheduled to appear in court on Monday.

Check back for additional updates on this story on TheBlaze.

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Comments (209)

Pepper_NC
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 4:14pm
Probably a member of Crazy Louie’s Nation of Islam. What is our country coming to these days?

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- loriann12
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 6:51am
  She can’t be Muslim because she doesn’t have her **** covered, and is sitting at a table with a glass of wine and a beer bottle. I wonder if the Muslims will be mad she’s giving away their secret hand signal? Wonder if she considered it could be blasphemy for her to give away secrets? And they make fun of the secret underwear (which we discover is just modesty wear) of the Mormons? Is this their signal to blow things up? Makes you wonder if they plan on sending in special needs kids with suicide vests on?
  
  Report this comment
Popp40
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 4:14pm
Thank you Texashunter for the laugh…..great post!!!!

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Proud Stray Dog
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 4:14pm
Where is that “Like” button? I’d keep hitting it until it broke.

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normalmom
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 4:11pm
It said special needs teacher, where were other aids in the class? Most special needs classrooms have more than one teacher. Interesting name for the school though.

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statutoryape
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 4:10pm
“Harris’ next-door neighbor, William Moore, told PilotOnline.com that Harris is not a Muslim. ‘They’re the nicest people you ever wanted to meet,’ he said.”

Moore must live across the train tracks on the bad side of town where a “nice” person is someone who hasn’t peddled crack or participated in a drive-by shooting but breaks most of the other laws. If Harris’ neighbor is black then there’s no way he would say anything negative about Harris. Many black communities have each other’s backs when it comes to breaking the law or even talking to any police or outsiders.

If there are no official hand gestures in Islam, then I don’t know what to think – she made them up?

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- lel2007
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 4:19pm
  It’s ebonic sign language used by blacks and wanna-bees, usually culminates in a complex elaborate meeting of the hands, sometimes finished with an embrace.
  
  Report this comment
Seymour
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 4:08pm
I have no idea where this child’s “wimp” Father is but kudos to the Mother. Let me tell you something here Tara, it’s just a good thing this wasn’t my child in your classroom. Let me put this in a way you may understand. If you touch my child without my or the Mothers authorization, you madam will experience the sorriest event of your professional career that you would not forget in your lifetime. No? Just try me and about a hundred million other parents out there. This situation won’t manifest Tara because you will probably lose your teaching credentials now that 20 million people know about you, as well you should. Let me ask you, how did you get box wine in such a nice glass?

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- lildrummerboy
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 4:17pm
  ok seriously take your meds…you’re talking to this teacher as if she really will read these Blaze comments, seems like you just puffed yourself for the sake of it….
  
  Report this comment
- DisposableWorker
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 6:55pm
  Father can’t say anything or he will be up on 3rd degree assault charges. Those charged with assault as an adult against a minority have mandatory hate crime laws to deal with and if the “victim” is an “educator”; then in many states you are looking at a felony. You can’t even tell a teacher “don’t touch my kid”. That’s a threat under the law.
  
  Report this comment
- BgBdMom
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 7:17pm
  Your reply is valid except the assinine part about the father. You know bupkus about their family so keep it to your reaction to this ***** witch.
  
  Report this comment
- Elena2010
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 7:35pm
  The “Wimp” father could be OUT TO SEA! It’s the Norfolk, Virginia, area.
  
  Report this comment
- kat747
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 10:04am
  @DisposableWorker
  You mean to tell me that when a treacher injures a child, that as the child’s parent, you do not have the right to tell that teacher to keep their filthy hands off your kid “Because it is a threat under the law”?
  Under the law, that teacher is guilty of assault, resulting in bodily harm and should NEVER teach anything again.
  
  Report this comment
Ravings of a lunatic planet
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 4:08pm
LMAO! Love it!

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RGB
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 4:08pm
Might need the rest of this story.

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spydurjohn
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 4:06pm
Why is she teaching her students religious hand signing? Hmmmm, you can’t have a moment of silence in the class rooms but you can force your students to perform Islamic hand signs? America really needs to wake up.

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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 4:13pm
  I think that I do get that name.
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGscSL2BF5I
  
  Report this comment
- BlueStarMom
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 5:37pm
  When my kids were still in public school there was (still is) a week of 8th grade social studies which required them to dress as muslims, carry a prayer rug, study the Koran (passages in the text book, not the actual Koran) memorize the muslim prayer, know where Mecca was, know the history of the “religion”, with none of the negative history. I objected, asked the principal if there would be a week of Christian history & Bible study. My kid spent the week in the library, but he was the only one. That cemented my decision to homeschool all my kids starting the next year. This was in 1998.
  
  Report this comment
- GlennaBeckski
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 6:24pm
  @BLUESTARMOM
  
  1998 ?? That long ago? Really…I’m shocked!! What state are you in?
  
  I had no idea this started that far back!!!
  
  Report this comment
- kat747
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 9:48am
  Most children cannot pass standarized tests, cannot recite the Lord’s Prayer in class,
  cannot have a Christmas Tree in their classroom, do not even KNOW the Pledge of Allegiance to the USA Flag,
  but
  CAN devote an entire WEEK to the Moslum Religion in a Public School in the
  United States of America
  when
  in the Koran which classifies all of us who are not Muslims as INFIDELS
  and they are ALLOWED and ENCOURAGED TO
  KILL US
  that
  the Taxpayers have to put up with this waste of time.
  It looks like the entire Dept of Education in this country needs a reality check.
  You cannot have it both ways.
  
  Report this comment
- TonyFox
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 12:12pm
  It’s ok ,she can do what she wants to do…because she is BLACK their special. If that had been a white teacher with a black student ……..ALL HELL WOULD HAVE BROKEN LOOSE.
  
  Report this comment
philpan4
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 4:04pm
bullcrap….
yes most pub sch teachers are minority women in lockstep with the regime
squash their agenda

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philpan4
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 4:01pm
a supposed “teacher” touches and injures your child
what would you do
muslims are the nicest people you ever want to meet
until they try to kill you
people wake up avoid states like this
and at all costs avoid public education if you can
save our children from these freaks

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dublinthewagons
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 3:58pm
If Barack had a sister ¿¿¿¿¿¿ where is the shanks Obama phone?

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Commonzenze
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 3:57pm
So, we are talking about the blonde lady in the back of the photo right?

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The-Monk
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 3:57pm
FYI,

EtchASketch is a paid troll…

Don’t bother replying to it because that’s what it wants.

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- statutoryape
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 4:15pm
  Hey, if the Blaze wants to hire some paid trolls to hit media matters and huffpo then let me know. :)
  
  Report this comment
- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 4:20pm
  STATUTORYAPE, Just remember to go by a different site name, okay?
  
  Report this comment
- The-Monk
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 4:31pm
  Now that was funny RJJ !!!!
  
  Report this comment
- statutoryape
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 4:32pm
  yeah I wouldn’t use my current name. In fact I may change my name on here cuz many are misreading it as “rape” instead of “ape”. My name seems to offend of ya – usually the women – on here. Or maybe it’s the anarchy symbol. Or both. lol if I were trolling at huffpo I would pick out some hippie philosophy go green name.
  
  Report this comment
BumperMorgan
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 3:57pm
Not a Muslim be ****!!

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shadowsting
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 3:57pm
I pray all the time nothing like this ever happens to one of my kids, and they school system we are in I don’t see it happening, cause if this ever did I know I would end of in jail before it was all said and done with cause there are three things you don’t mess with in my life and that’s my wife and two boys.

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rdwhitaker
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 3:56pm
If she had been teaching & forcing children to cross themselves as part of their Christian education, you can bet that she would have been fired, denounced, humiliated, and that the school would not hold back any information at all about their investigation or actions! Plus the ACLU would be screaming at the tops of their lungs about separation of church and state. Lopsized standards here.

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- DOra Glasberg
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 4:00pm
  A cleric, in the article, says there are no hand gestures in the religion.
  The teacher may have injured the child – but we don’t really know why yet.
  
  Report this comment
- SCREW-WINDOWS
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 4:10pm
  @ DOra Glasberg
  Placing unwanted hands on someone can still be a assault especially if it results in injury.
  
  Report this comment
- statutoryape
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 4:25pm
  I went to a high school that was 70% black and can definitely say that black people are naturally more aggressive than whites. There are a lot of nice black people but most of the ones I’ve associated with felt victimized, had a chip on their shoulder against whites, and would quickly devolve into huge fights like a pack of wild animals. Glad I moved out of the south!!
  
  Report this comment
- burnteye86
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 4:33pm
  Same here but I didn’t move out of the South. I just learned to fight.
  
  Report this comment
- Elena2010
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 7:57pm
  The first story also states she was praying in Arabic and making the kids do the same. I find that EVEN more offensive that some stupid hand gestures/gang signs.
  
  Report this comment
- skypilot77
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 9:49pm
  This would actually be a battery charge. One does not need to touch someone for assault to happen.
  
  Report this comment
EtchASketch
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 3:56pm
Wow. An “exclusive story” and all you got is blurry photos?

Nice work!

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- The-Monk
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 3:58pm
  Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa….
  
  The poor widdle paid troll doesn’t like me… LMAO@U
  
  Looks who’s back from lunch and the Media Matters meeting…..
  
  Report this comment
- dublinthewagons
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 4:02pm
  Etchasketck. You wouldn’t give them a picture of yo mama that wasn’t blured.
  
  Report this comment
- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 4:04pm
  Hi GEORGE, Yeah, made by the parent probably with a cell phone camera. Did you bother to read the first part of this story earlier. I could swear that you had a venomous post there too.
  
  Report this comment
- The-Monk
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 4:19pm
  @EtchASketch
  
  Better hurry up……
  
  Almost time to clock out. LMAO@U…….
  
  Report this comment
- burnteye86
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 4:31pm
  I got a hand sign for ya Etchy
  
  Report this comment
- The-Monk
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 4:32pm
  Tick tock, tick tock….EtchASketch
  
  Your 5 pm deadline is approaching….
  
  Report this comment
- Charleyhorse
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 10:47pm
  The teachers Obama phone was used to take the pics.
  
  Report this comment
RJJinGadsden
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 3:55pm
Hey Tara, what is the Islamic hand sign for “I’m enjoying this bottle of wine?”

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bullcrapbuster
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 3:54pm
Are all of the grade school teachers black?

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- SCREW-WINDOWS
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 3:56pm
  A good many they are protected by Unions.
  
  Report this comment
- Steve28
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 4:06pm
  Well, that would be no as my wife and daughter are white and teach. Certain areas teaches will be proportionate to their student population.
  
  Report this comment
BumperMorgan
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 3:54pm
She needs to be fired if that is theonly way she can teach a child.

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- RightUnite
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 4:03pm
  And if that doesn’t work, a good beat down.
  
  Report this comment
SCREW-WINDOWS
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 3:54pm
Here’s a easy hand sign all Islamics should understand first make a fist and then extend middle finger.

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- Sayre
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 4:07pm
  Bravo… just what I was thinking!
  
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AvengerK
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 3:52pm
ahhh…as soon as I saw the picture of Mrs Harris…it made perfect sense. mm mm mm Barack Hussein Obama.
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- BumperMorgan
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 3:55pm
  It made immediate sense to me too.
  
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- EtchASketch
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 3:56pm
  Okay, Howdy Doody.
  
  Report this comment
- Dushman Kush
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 4:11pm
  Rest assured that Comrade Harris has this down pat: Vote Early and Vote Often! Obama 2012!!! Hillary Clinton-Van Jones 2016!!! Long Live the Communist International!!!
  
  Report this comment
- Dr Vel
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 8:15pm
  Dushman Kush “Rest assured that Comrade Harris has this down pat: Vote Early and Vote Often! Obama 2012!!! Hillary Clinton-Van Jones 2016!!! Long Live the Communist International!!!”
  
  A criminal act under state law, as well a federal crime. Lord let every soul who robs a citizen of their just right to vote by voting more than once thus canceling an honest vote be brought to justice. May they spend the maximum time in a cage.
  
  Report this comment
- Bill Rowland
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 6:46am
  Looked like a good reason for a Burka and a veiled head dress
  
  OMG Nov 6, 2012
  
  Report this comment
run42k
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 3:51pm
There’s only one hand gesture they need to know from an All-American school kid.

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- huey6367
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 3:56pm
  Does it look like an upside down OK sign? I didn’t think so.
  
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- oldguy49
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 3:57pm
  and it works on muslims also
  
  Report this comment
GoodStuff
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 3:50pm
I knew it…an Obama voter.
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