AMANDA, Ohio -- The Amanda-Clearcreek school district in Fairfield County permanently suspended a substitute teacher after confirming that she disciplined four kindergarten boys for talking in class by putting spring-type clothespins on their lips, Superintendent J.B. Dick said yesterday.

Ruth Ann Stoneburner had worked for the past several years as a substitute teacher after retiring from the district as a school nurse, Dick said.

None of the boys was injured in the clothespin punishment, which was delivered the morning of March 26 in a kindergarten class of 18 boys and girls at the Amanda-Clearcreek Primary School, Dick said.

Certainly, the district does not favor this method of discipline, the superintendent said.

"It's unfortunate and it's not something that we at Amanda-Clearcreek support in any way," Dick said, adding that he will report the substitute teacher to the Ohio Department of Education.

Officials learned of the incident after a parent of one of the boys complained.

Principal Mike Johnsen talked to the boys individually and each confirmed that he had had a clothespin put on his upper or lower lip for too much talking, Johnsen wrote in a letter sent home to parents Monday, and other students confirmed it, too.

The substitute teacher confirmed it when Johnsen called her Monday, Johnsen wrote to parents, adding that she will never be used as a substitute in the district again.