EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (KMOX/AP) — Two teachers accused of forcing children to stand naked in a closet as punishment at an East St. Louis preschool have been charged.
Shavonda Willis and Mary Agbehia are charged with aggravated battery and unlawful restraint.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Police Chief Kevin Schmoll has said four or five children ages 5 years and under have been subjected to the punishment at the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center in East St. Louis since early February. SIUE operates the pre-school.
SIU Edwardsville's Timothy Staples runs the Head Start program in the Jackie Joyner Kersee Center. The first thing he said they did was reach out to every parent to offer a one-on-one.
Staples says they're retraining staff to know they, as mandated reporters, must always say something if they see something. Training on how to better redirect students' behavior is also taking place.