US teacher knocks down special needs student

An award winning US teacher has quit after she was filmed kneeing a four-year-old student with special-needs in the back, sending him sprawling to the ground.

On March 17, 71-year-old teacher Amelia Stripling can be seen on camera walking towards a classroom at the Tift County Pre-K Center in Georgia when she notices one of her students standing at the door.

The boy doesn't notice Ms Stripling in time before she juts her knee into the back of his head, knocking him over face-first.

The winner of the Tift County Excellence award in 2014 was immediately reported to the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services, who are currently investigating the incident.

The boy's mother Sarah Patterson told WALB her son was not seriously injured.

Ms Stripling has now resigned after 22-years in education.