Arkansas Department of Human Services v. Heath

David Newbern, Justice.

This is the second appeal in this case which arose when the Department of Human Services (DHS) received a report of possible child abuse committed by John Heath, Principal at Marion Middle School. The report stated Mr. Heath had hit a student three times on the buttocks with a wooden paddle. Investigation confirmed the paddling occurred, and a DHS report concluded there was “some credible evidence of child abuse.” In addition, a box was checked on the DHS report form indicating that the report of child abuse was “substantiated.” Mr. Heath appealed through administrative…