A teacher convicted of slapping an autistic student across the face won’t have a criminal record.
David Merrill Sheffield, 57, was handed a conditional discharge Friday in Halifax provincial court. In February 2008, Sheffield hit the 15-year-old Bedford Junior High student across the face after the student waved his mitten, getting salt in his eyes.
Sheffield apologized in court.
The Halifax Regional School Board said Sheffield has agreed to resign.
When Metro first wrote about this story last month, the boy’s father was furious. Sheffield was allowed to remain on paid leave after his Oct. 28, 2008 conviction, and the boy’s father said he wouldn’t stop fighting “until I see his licence revoked.”
Sheffield’s daughter, Maneka, wrote to Metro in her father’s defence, saying he’s a sweet, caring man who is passionate about teaching.
