Teachers’ arrests expose abuse of EC students
Kathryn McKenna Shaver, Melody Stroupe Cloer and Donita Waldroup Guest are all facing charges related to the alleged abuse of special needs students in Swain County.
Swain County Sheriff’s Office photos
On Feb. 16, one teacher and three teacher’s assistants were transferred from the Exceptional Children’s program at Swain West Elementary to the exceptional children program at Swain East following authorization by the county school board. By the end of the second day there, two of these TAs had already allegedly witnessed multiple instances of non-sexual child abuse of several East students.
One assistant decided to disclose what had allegedly happened.
Within hours, as noted in a Swain County Schools press release, “a report concerning the conduct of a classroom teacher.” In this case, Donita Waldroup Guest, a seasoned educator who currently faces four misdemeanor and three felony charges, was sent to district administrators.
The superintendent notified the sheriff, who called on the State Bureau of Investigation for help. Guest, along with fellow teacher Kathryn Shaver and teacher assistant Melody Stroupe Cloer, were arrested March 2 for allegedly participating in assaults that targeted five students in one EC classroom. Both Cloer and Guest were charged with felonious assault of an individual with a disability for a force-feeding incident; Guest, employed by Swain County Schools since 1998, also racked up other misdemeanor and felony charges, including second degree kidnapping for alleged acts ranging from physical restraint to slapping. Shaver is accused of misdemeanor assault on an individual with a disability.
Because of the General Assembly’s November 2025 passage of ‘Iryna’s Law,’ limiting pre-trial release for violent offenses including first or second-degree kidnapping, in Guest’s case, bail terms are set by the judge. While Guest had no prior criminal charges, she was held without bond pending her initial March 9 court appearance. She’s required to provide fingerprints and a DNA sample, and she has waived court-appointed council and hired an attorney.
Shaver received a $3,000 bond. She’s also waived her right to court-assigned council in favor of other representation. Cloer received a $25,000 bond. She’ll also appoint her own council.
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All three were still listed as staff on the elementary school’s website as of March 9. The superintendent’s office said because the investigation is still ongoing, no disciplinary action has been taken against Guest in the interim. According to documents provided by the school system, the educator has never been subject to disciplinary measures. In December 2025, Guest was even given the Exceptional Children Educator of Excellence award.
Swain East Elementary honored her on its Facebook page, writing that “Donita pours so much love, strength, and dedication into her students, even in the midst of deep personal loss. This recognition is so well-deserved.”
Records show that Shaver was on probationary status for the first two years of employment and subsequently was offered a 4-year contract in 2022. Guest, on the other hand, had a 4-year probationary period before career employment. According to North Carolina statute , the school board is required to hold a vote to elevate a teacher to career status after four consecutive years, though it can also do so earlier.
Court documents claim the crimes occurred on Feb. 17, but when SMN asked if law enforcement is looking into the possibility of previous abuse, Sheriff Brian Kirkland said, “That’s what our investigators are doing now.”
“We’re taking every allegation of anybody that comes forward seriously. My investigators and SBI are talking to people, and it’s just a matter of whether there’s evidence there that supports whether another crime has happened or not,” he added.
Kirkland praised the superintendent and HR director for their help during the investigating process.
“The schools are involved in making sure that things are done the right way too,” he said.
Cases resembling Swain East Elementary have occurred in other EC classrooms in the state and in some instances, parents and advocates have sued school systems, alleging cover-ups on the part of educators and administrators. In 2025, teachers were arrested for assaulting students with disabilities at elementary schools in Iredell-Statesville, New Hanover, Wake and Edgecomb counties.
Some North Carolina disability rights groups see these incidents as part of a larger problem. According to the most recent data from Civil Rights Data Collection Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education, 190 students with disabilities in the state experienced physical restraint during the school year.
