Hot Sauce Teacher Avoids Jail
Parents of Maria Tagle's students are fire hot about the judge's decision
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A Miami teacher will think twice about spicing up her cola from now on.
A former Miami grade school teacher was sentenced to 200 hours of community service and 2 years' probation Wednesday for allegedly spiking her soda with Tabasco and allowing her autistic students to drink it.
Sylvia Tagle, who used to teach at Bob Graham Education Center, faced up to five years in prison after being convicted of child abuse last month.
But the punishment has some parents red hot after they learned Tagle won't be placed behind bars.
Mario Serralta, whose son had some of the spicy soda, is held a press conference this afternoon to express his displeasure with the decision.
"We did not get any justice today," he said. "How could this woman do such a sadistic act on such a defenseless child and the court did nothing."
It's unclear where Tagle will do her community service or if she will be allowed to work around kids again. The descendant of Mexican immigrants, Tagle told jurors that she puts hot sauce on everything, including her soft drinks.
"I love it," she testified.
