Former Henry teacher found not guilty of assaulting students
Former Henry County teacher acquitted in student abuse case
A Henry County jury acquitted former special education teacher Linda Sturdivant on all 13 simple battery counts following allegations that she assaulted special needs students at Stockbridge Elementary School.
HENRY COUNTY, Ga. - A jury cleared a former special education teacher of all physical assault allegations involving elementary school students following a high-stakes trial in Henry County.
Verdict at Stockbridge Elementary
What we know:
A Henry County jury returned a not guilty verdict on all 13 simple battery counts against Linda Sturdivant, according to court trial records. The former social worker turned special needs teacher had faced accusations of hitting several special needs students at Stockbridge Elementary School.
Sturdivant expressed immense relief after the verdict, noting that there were "some happy, happy tears" inside the courtroom. "Definitely. I, I feel like that's my my purpose," Sturdivant said regarding her desire to return to the classroom.
PREVIOUS STORY: Stockbridge Elementary teacher faces battery charges
Unresolved details in the case
What we don't know:
Sturdivant insists she has no idea what took place, though she claims her classroom was dealing with severe staffing issues and organizational problems at the time.
The Henry County School System has not responded to the verdict.
The initial school district arrest
The backstory:
The legal battle began in December 2024 when authorities arrested Sturdivant at Stockbridge Elementary School. The warrants alleged that she assaulted multiple elementary students with special needs in August 2024.
The case drew significant community attention, including from parent Portia Blanco, whose nonverbal child was named as one of the victims. Blanco previously stated that school and law enforcement officials did not inform her about the active investigation until two months after Sturdivant's initial arrest.
Sturdivant targets accusers
What they're saying:
Following her acquittal, Sturdivant strongly defended her record and praised her legal team for exposing contradictions during cross-examination.
"Well, I wanted a jury trial because I just believe that to get this case in front of a jury, just regular folks like myself to hear that they would hear the truth," Sturdivant said. "I want those parents to know that your children were never harmed, never harmed under my supervision, all the accusations were fabricated by the accusers. And only they can really tell you."
Future legal battles
What's next:
The not guilty verdict clears the path for Sturdivant to resume her teaching career, though she confirmed she will not be returning to work for Henry County schools. Instead, Sturdivant is actively contemplating filing a lawsuit over the immense personal toll of the prosecution.
"It affected every area of my life. Career wise. And, I lost my job as a result of that, financially, which caused financial problems, for me, down and down the line. And the mental health. I can't describe what it was like dealing with this," Sturdivant explained.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Henry County court trial records, law enforcement arrest logs, and a direct interview with Linda Sturdivant.