SLIDELL - A St. Tammany Parish Public School employee has been charged with simple battery, following an incident where a student was struck with a meter stick. 

The para-professional, identified as 66-year-old Terry Pratts of Slidell, reportedly slapped a student with a meter stick during dismissal time on Monday. School administrators at Little Oak Middle school immediately began an investigation into the matter. 

As a result of the investigation, Pratts was arrested the following day (Tuesday) and charged with simple battery.