Substitute teacher pleads guilty to simple assault

JACKSON, Tenn. — A substitute teacher charged with assaulting a student was in court Thursday for a preliminary hearing.

Valerie Fuller pleaded guilty to simple assault. Court officials say she made the plea after reviewing school surveillance video from the incident earlier this year when a 9-year-old was hit in the face and pushed into a doorway.

Fuller had told authorities she had no intention of hurting the child.