Lawrence elementary school teacher avoids prison time for assault

By Globe Staff

A substitute elementary school teacher will avoid prison time after he was sentenced today by a judge in Lawrence for assaulting a first grader who he grabbed by the collar and swung into a door.

Douglas Tracia, 49, received a 60-day suspended sentence from Judge Kevin J. Gaffney this morning in Lawrence Superior Court. The judge also ordered Tracia to enter and complete an anger management program and barred him from teaching in any elementary school in Massachusetts.

After a four-day trial, a jury deliberated five hours Thursday and found Tracia guilty of reckless assault and battery. He was found not guilty of intentional assault and battery and assault and attery with a dangerous weapon, which was the door.

The charges stemmed from an incident May 15, 2007, at South Lawrence East Elementary School that was captured on surveillance video. A defense lawyer said in court that his client acted within school policy and state law by trying to keep the boy from running from the school.

Prosecutors had asked that Tracia be sentenced to serve at least 60 days in prison.

Material from the Associated Press is include in this report.

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