Colo. teacher kicks student for GOP shirt

 

DURANGO, Colo. (AP) - A part-time college instructor has apologized for kicking a student because he was wearing a Republican shirt.

 

Fort Lewis College student Mark O'Donnell said he was showing people his College Republicans sweat shirt, which said "Work for us now ... or work for us later," when Maria Spero kicked him in the leg at an off-campus restaurant.

 

Spero then said "she should have kicked me harder and higher," said O'Donnell. "To physically take that out on someone because you disagree with them, that is completely wrong."

 

Police Sgt. Mitch Higgins said Saturday that O'Donnell wanted to press charges and a misdemeanor summons would be issued.

 

Spero, a visiting instructor of modern languages, apologized to O'Donnell in a letter dated Oct. 29.

 

"I acted entirely inappropriately by kicking you, giving vent to a thoughtless knee-jerk political reaction that should never have happened," she wrote. "Before the incident, I did not know you and that you are a Fort Lewis student."

 

The college also formally apologized, said David Eppich, assistant to the school's president.

 

O'Donnell said the apology wasn't enough and he plans to file a complaint with the college.

 

The only phone number listed in Durango for the surname Spero was constantly busy Saturday.

 

Durango police did not immediately return a call seeking comment.