Stephens County High School Teacher Faces Animal Cruelty Charges

A Stephens County High School at the center of a controversy involving two cats he
neutered during class has been charged with animal cruelty.
Toccoa-Stephens County Humane Shelter Director Jeff Roberts says that animal
control has completed its investigation into the incident and made a decision on how to proceed.“I can’t really go into specifics of the case, other than to say that we have investigated it. We’re required to enforce county codes, and as part of our investigation we made the determination that it was warranted to issue a summons for 2 counts of animal cruelty, Then, it will be up to the judge to make the final determination in this case.”

Roberts says that the animal cruelty counts issued in the summons against Stephens
County High School Teacher Daniel Hebert (Aye-bare) are classified as misdemeanors.
Earlier this month, Hebert castrated two cats in an animal science classroom at
Stephens County High School in front of students.
One of the cats bit a student during the ordeal.
Roberts says the cats, to his knowledge, have no lasting physical health issues.
Hebert initially resigned immediately following the incident, but withdrew that initial
immediate resignation.

The Stephens County Board Of Education then voted 6 to 1 to both suspend Hebert for
a week and he was back in his class on Monday, November 17.
Herbert plans to resign at the end of the school year in June.
Jim Ledford was the lone opposing vote both times, saying he did not agree with the actions taken against Hebert by the board.
According to Roberts, the case is currently scheduled to be heard in Stephens County
Magistrate Court on December 18 at 1:30 p.m.