Mom says son was duct-taped to a locker by teacher

HAMLIN - A West Hamlin mother says a teacher put duct tape around the neck and body of her minor son and taped him to a locker for talking.

Jennifer Masters, through Huntington Attorney Bert Ketchum, sued the Lincoln County Board of Education and Twanna Holton Nov. 20 on behalf of her child Clayton Masters.

The complaint says an incident took place in February in Holton's classroom in West Hamlin Elementary. It says “Twanna Holton intentionally, willfully, recklessly, unlawfully and/or negligently make harmful and/or offensive contacts of an insulting and/or provoking nature with minor Clayton Masters' body."

The suit says the boy "has sustained and will sustain in the future serious and permanent injuries and damages which justify an award of past, present and future general and special damages."

Masters expects jury judgment jointly and severally for an amount to reasonably compensate for injuries and damages, court expenses and pre-judgment interest.

A Partial Motion To Dismiss And Answer Of Defendants was brought Jan. 14, 2012, by attorneys Karn Tracy McElhinny and Kimberly M. Bandy of Charleston. It says, "Twanna Holton put one piece of duct tape briefly on the top of Clayton Masters' shirt... Defendants specifically deny... duct tape was placed on Clayton Masters' neck and body and that he was taped to a locker for talking."

The case is before Lincoln Circuit Court before Judge Jay M. Hoke.

Case number 12-C-154