YOUNGSTOWN — Former Youngstown City Schools teacher Geraldine DeWitt, 62, reported to the Mahoning County jail Thursday to begin serving her 30-day jail sentence for assaulting a special needs student at McGuffey Elementary School in April 2019.

Municipal Judge Renee DiSalvo of Youngstown Municipal Court told DeWitt Feb. 18 that her report date was Thursday unless she could provide a report from her doctor indicating a need for her jail time to be postponed until after she gets the COVID-19 vaccine.

Her attorney, Ronald Yarwood, argued Feb. 18 during DeWitt’s sentencing hearing that because of DeWitt’s age, health and having not yet gotten a COVID-19 vaccine, going to jail now could “become something much more permanent than a jail sentence.”

A Youngstown police report stated that DeWitt, a special education teacher, “smacked” her student twice in the face.

According to the Ohio Department of Education, DeWitt voluntarily and permanently surrendered her Ohio teaching certificates Feb. 3, 2020, and cannot reapply for an Ohio teaching certificate.

DeWitt was charged with assault, a first-degree misdemeanor, but pleaded guilty to negligent assault, a third-degree misdemeanor, Jan. 21.

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