BOISE, Idaho — A Canyon County court on Wednesday sentenced a Caldwell preschool teacher who was accused of abusing her special education students in early 2023.
Kerry Black was sentenced to four years of unsupervised probation, psychological evaluation, a letter of resignation and apology to state and 20 days of sheriff inmate labor detail. She will have six months to complete the labor detail or she will receive 120 days in jail.
The court deemed if Black successfully completes her probation, she could request the conviction to be removed from her record.
As previously reported, Black initially was facing 11 counts of injury of a child and pleaded not guilty on March 3, 2023.
However, on Sept. 10, Black accepted a plea agreement to plead guilty to three counts of disturbing the peace. With the plea agreement, her October trial was vacated.
During her March 2023 court appearance, the state requested Black wear a GPS monitor to ensure she doesn't go near schools and she follows the no-contact order previously issued. Black's defense attorney agreed to the GPS monitor.
Black was a special education teacher at Lincoln Elementary School. The Caldwell Police Department alleged she hit, spanked and forcefully turned the heads of preschool-aged children.
Ada County deputies arrested her at her home on Feb. 17, 2023, on her initial injury to a child charges.
Teachers who spoke to police about Black said she began exhibiting aggressive behavior two years prior to her arrest.
In a probable cause affidavit submitted by Caldwell Police Detective and school resource officer Kristopher Wallin, the detective states he got a message from the principal at Lincoln Elementary on Feb. 14, 2023, informing him the school received multiple complaints, from six school staff members, about alleged physical abuse by Black.
During Wednesday's sentencing review, a hearing was scheduled for Dec. 18.