A former employee of Talawanda School District is facing charges after an alleged incident in which she is accused of making physical contact with a student with special needs. Heather Keller, 36, a one-time teacher's aide at Bogan Elementary School, was arrested and charged with child endangering, as detailed by the Butler County Sheriff's Office. Court documents reviewed by WLWT describe Keller grabbing the student's face and neck and pushing his head into the back of his wheelchair. This altercation was reportedly caught on video.
The Talawanda School District had previously placed Keller on administrative leave after the allegations surfaced and stated she had no further contact with students or staff after the incident. Before the scheduled disciplinary hearing could unfold, Keller opted to resign, a decision that seemingly preempted an inevitable termination, as noted in a statement from the school district, reported by both WHIO and FOX19 NOW. The district emphasizes that it "does not condone the use of inappropriate or excessive student physical contact."
While the school district said it may be unable to share many details regarding the personnel issue, it remains committed to reporting pertinent information to the required officials. Having been held without bond overnight at the Butler County Jail, Keller was scheduled to appear before a judge the following day, as confirmed by sheriff's officials via FOX19 NOW.
Records indicate that Keller received her permit to be a "1-year educational aide" in August 2022 for the Talawanda City Schools, with renewals following yearly, most recently in July. Following her arrest, the school district shared a comprehensive statement on the FOX19 NOW website, outlining the actions taken amid the allegations and ensuring the public that Keller would have no further engagement with the school's students or staff.
