Teacher facing seventh lawsuit

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A new lawsuit filed against a Sumner County teacher charged with abusing her pre-school-aged special needs students alleges abuse as far back as 2005.

Donna Weidenbenner, 47, is already facing six lawsuits alleging abuse of students during her time as a teacher. She is also facing multiple criminal charges stemming from incidents alleged to have occurred during the 2008-09 school year.

The latest lawsuit accuses Weidenbenner of abusing a young male student between 2005-07 at Beech Elementary School, where Weidenbenner worked before her transfer to Station Camp Elementary School.


According to the lawsuit, Weidenbenner is accused of “hitting and grabbing with such force as to cause bruising, and grabbing his head with both hands and shaking violently.”

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One attorney said his clients brought the problem to the attention of school officials three years ago in a meeting that was recorded on tape and paper.

"He said that she grabbed his head and he just showed grabbing it and shaking it," said mother Jamie Minnis.

Jamie and Terry Minnis said they were concerned by the story their autistic 5-year-old son came home telling them in April 2007. Their child was a student in Weidenbenner's special-education class at Beech Elementary School, so they went to school administrators.

In an audio tape of the meeting, Weidenbenner can be heard explaining her teaching techniques.

"I did not shake his head. I did touch his head. I will admit to that because I was trying to get him to look at me,” said Weidenbenner on the recording.

Principal Brenda Green defended Weidenbenner's teaching style during the meeting.

"She has a program, and she totally goes about it in a way that an onlooker might say, 'That's a little bit too strict,'" said Green on the recording.

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