S.C. Board of Education temporarily suspends Ocean Bay Elementary teacher’s certificate following arrest

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WMBF) – The South Carolina Board of Education temporarily suspended an Ocean Bay Elementary School teacher’s educator certificate after she was arrested and accused of abusing several students.

Horry County police arrested special education teacher Grace McColgan a couple of weeks ago following an investigation. She is charged with six counts of unlawful conduct toward a child.

Arrests warrants claim several instances of abuse, including rubbing hand sanitizer in a student’s open wound, dumping a student out of a chair and hitting students on the back of their heads.

RELATED COVERAGE | Warrants: HCS teacher hit students, rubbed hand sanitizer in wound; principal failed to report

“The SCDE (South Carolina Department of Education) has reason to believe that, due to the serious nature of this allegation of misconduct, Ms. McColgan may pose a threat to the health, safety, and welfare of students who may be under her instruction, and that emergency action is required,” according to an order filed by the S.C. Board of Education on Nov. 2.

The state board found that based on the evidence, McColgan’s educator license will be temporarily suspended until a hearing is held or the matter is resolved.

Horry County Schools has also placed McColgan on administrative leave.

Ocean Bay Elementary School principal Rebecca Schroyer was also arrested and charged in connection to the case. Investigators said she failed to report child abuse or neglect to the proper authorities.

She has also been placed on administrative leave by the school district.

Both women have been released from jail.

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