Former Stockbridge Elementary special education teacher Linda Sturdivant walked out of a Henry County courtroom a free woman on Monday, acquitted on every one of the 13 simple battery counts that accused her of striking special-needs students in her classroom. Fighting back what she called "some happy, happy tears," Sturdivant told reporters she hopes to return to teaching, though she made clear that return will not be with Henry County Schools.
Jury Clears Sturdivant After High-Stakes Trial
Jurors delivered not-guilty verdicts across the board after hearing testimony that probed classroom practices and featured sharply conflicting witness accounts, according to FOX 5 Atlanta. The panel ultimately rejected the allegation that Sturdivant's physical contact with students crossed the line into criminal battery.
Sturdivant praised her legal team after the verdict and acknowledged the heavy personal toll of the case, a reminder that even an across-the-board acquittal does not erase the strain of being at the center of a child-abuse trial.
Allegations And Timeline
A warrant "indicated the alleged incident occurred in August 2024," and authorities later arrested Sturdivant at the school in December 2024, FOX 5 Atlanta reported. After her arrest, the district moved to dismiss her from her job, WSB-TV reported.
Court calendars from the Henry County State Court list the matter as case STSR2025001578 and show the case set for jury trial earlier this month. Those public calendars are available on the county website through Henry County State Court.
Legal Context And What Could Come Next
Under Georgia law, simple battery is defined as intentionally making physical contact of an insulting or provoking nature or intentionally causing physical harm, and it is typically prosecuted as a misdemeanor, according to summaries of O.C.G.A. § 16-5-23 from FindLaw.
A criminal acquittal ends the state’s case but does not automatically block civil lawsuits. Court dockets show a separate federal civil-rights complaint filed this year by a person with the Sturdivant name, according to Justia Dockets & Filings. What happens next for Sturdivant, both in court and in any future classroom, now moves out of the criminal spotlight.
