Teacher Charged With Slapping Special-Needs Student

INDIANAPOLIS -- A Perry Township special education teacher is accused of slapping a student twice during arguments in class, court records show.

Two teacher's aides at the RISE Learning Center told police they saw Thomas Cripe, 64, slap 20-year-old student Brent Mobley two separate times during class in August, according to the probable cause affidavit. The two incidents happened a few days apart, the aides said.

Mobley was classified in court documents as profoundly mentally retarded, suffering from autism, a seizure disorder and Hydrocephalus, in condition which causes fluid to accumulate on the brain.

Cripe's attorney told 6News' Ben Morriston that the physical contact was an act of self defense and an effort to stop Mobley from disrupting class.

"The student tried to take a swing at Mr. Cripe and actually hit Mr. Cripe and Mr. Cripe essentially responded by slapping him back saying, 'That conduct is unacceptable,'" said attorney John Kautzman. "In an effort to get his attention that, 'I'm serious, you can't do this kind of stuff,' Tom slapped him on the side of the face."

Mary Leiber -- Mobley's mother and legal guardian -- told Morriston her son was having a "rough time" dealing with the two incidents.

Cripe was charged with two counts of battery. He resigned from the school.