LAS VEGAS – Teacher aides in the Clark County School District told police special education teacher James Doran is a bully who abuses his students.

At least three teachers aides came forward recently with allegations the Forbuss Elementary School teacher slapped a nonverbal autistic child on multiple occasions and threw the child by his shirt into a bean bag, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports.

The incidents allegedly started last April and continued on the first day of school this week. Police arrested Doran Tuesday for three counts of misdemeanor battery and he was later released on a $1,000 bail.

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School officials told the media Doran was suspended with pay until his criminal case is complete, as called for by the district’s union contract. He’s barred from all school campuses and facilities during the suspension.

An arrest affidavit states a teacher’s aide “witnessed Doran grab (the student’s hands and throw them down forcefully and say, ‘Nice hands’ to him,” according to the news site.

Nevada state law prohibits school employees from using “aversion intervention” – corporal punishment or verbal or mental abuse to punish – with disabled students.

District spokeswoman Melinda Malone wrote in an email to the Review-Journal that “all employees are trained on aversion interventions yearly.”

“This is mandatory,” Malone wrote. “There is also a variety of training available to special needs teachers depending on their focus area. There is also training on positive behavior supports and behavior management available to administrators, teacher and support staff.”

Malone said Doran has worked for the school district since August 2014, the Las Vegas Sun reports.

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Parents and taxpayers were understandably upset by the case.

“So let me get this straight: This behavior was reported by at least three different people in April and nothing was done back then, and the ‘teacher’ was allowed back in again in August,” Review-Journal commenter s4141 posted.

“Well done school district! Hopefully the parents sue the teacher and the school, because the school knew there was a problem and stuck the teacher back in to abuse kids some more.”

“ … (W)hatever happened to common sense and compassion?” Candice Baker questioned. “If you are a special education teacher, you should darn well know how to treat children! Fire him and convict him so he is never allowed around another child in a teaching capacity again!”

Others suggested a different punishment.

“Training available?” din0bot posted. “I know a bunch of fathers who will be glad to train him for free. How evil to do that to a defenseless child.”