A middle school teacher in Colorado has been charged with child abuse and assault. The teacher allegedly forced a student to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.

Karen Smith has been teaching for the past 20 years in the Boulder Valley School District. Smith is a physical education teacher at Angevine Middle School in Lafayette, Colorado.

Smith is currently on administrative leave because she allegedly forced an Angevine Middle School student to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. Smith forced the student to stand by grabbing him by his jacket, lifting him to his feet and then removed him from the classroom, according to WFSB.

The incident occurred on Feb. 1 and as of Feb. 13, Smith has been charged with child abuse and third-degree assault, according to 9NEWS. The spokesperson for the Boulder Valley School District, Randy Barber stated that based on the school district's policy, students are allowed to stand or sit for the Pledge of Allegiance. 

Regardless of her personal opinion on standing or sitting for the Pledge of Allegiance, she should not have handled the situation like this. This actually should have been a very hands-off situation. There was no need for her to put her hands on a student for doing something they're allowed to do.

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