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Teaching Assistants Arrested After Hitting 14-Year-Old Student, Police Say

By Lisha Arino | December 22, 2014 10:37am
 The Manhattan School for Career Development, located at 113 E. Fourth St.
The Manhattan School for Career Development, located at 113 E. Fourth St.
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Department of Education

EAST VILLAGE — Police arrested two teaching assistants last week and charged them with pushing a student to the ground before "punching and kneeing" her, according to the NYPD.

Gwendolyn Lucas, 55, and Charlene Butler, 58, both paraprofessionals at the Manhattan School for Career Development at 113 E. Fourth St., were arguing with a 14-year-old girl at about noon on Dec. 17 when they pushed and hit her, police said.

It was not clear what they were arguing about, police said.

Lucas and Butler were arrested Friday morning and charged with assault, police said.

"This alleged behavior is disturbing," said Department of Education spokeswoman Devora Kaye. "Ms. Lucas and Ms. Butler have been suspended without pay pending resolution of the matter."

Information about their lawyers was not immediately available.