Illinois Teacher Charged with Hate Crime for Calling Woman ‘Nazi’

An Illinois teacher has been charged with a hate crime after calling an 87-year-old woman of German descent a “Nazi” and striking her with her purse.

Nancy Sweeney, a teacher from Franklin Elementary School in Park Ridge, Illinois,  was arrested and charged with aggravated battery to a person over 60, as well as a hate crime, according to a report by WGN 9. The report added that both charges are felonies.

The fourth-grade teacher had been accused of striking her 87-year-old neighbor in the face with her purse, and calling the elderly woman, who is of German descent, a “Nazi.”

The victim told police that Sweeney had hit her in the face with her purse, which caused her to fall to the ground, causing cuts and bruises on her face and body, according to WLS-TV.

The 87-year-old added that the teacher was upset over the victim exercising in an indoor parking garage where they both live.

According to police, the victim did not want to be taken to the hospital.

Park Ridge-Niles School District 64 spokesperson Peter Gill said that when officials with the school district learned of Sweeney’s arrest and the allegations surrounding it on March 3, the teacher was placed on administrative leave the following morning, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Sweeney’s preliminary hearing date is reportedly scheduled for May 11.

You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Twitter at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.