5 Year old Girl Arrested

on Apr 26, 2005

Sorry, but as a former kindergarten teacher, I find this whole situation sad and ridiculous. One year, I had a child who acted the way this girl was shown to act...and on several occasions. Never once did I or the school administration consider calling the police to subdue her or handcuff her and take her away. We dealt with the situation in the way we were taught to deal with it in our college classes...I had an entire quarter dedicated to classroom discipline, emotional outbursts, "temper tantrums," and the like. So, in the face of a child throwing things at me, attempting to throw herself against classroom windows, screaming, yelling, etc., I knew how to handle her, which, as the authority figure in the classroom, was my responsibility.

I'm in agreement with you. When I first read it I thought that cuffing her and putting her in the back of a patrol vehicle was a bit much (oh, and some places do still call them squad cars)....but how else were they supposed to restrain her without hurting her (and having the mother sue for assault or inappropriate contact?)?

You stand behind the child, wrap your arms around her, and then lower the two of you to the floor, sitting there with her until she gets her emotions back under control. IMO, this is a child who has deep emotional issues, and the trauma of being handcuffed and placed into a police car is going to increase her problems. Unless the school and the parents are willing to work together to help this child, the next tantrum--and yes,without intervention there WILL be a next one--will be even worse.

Think about it. Were the grown up teacher and principal unable to stop the little 5 year old girl? Did they need to escalate the bullshit by getting the police involved?

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

Although the report doesn't state this, I think that the child was probably still raging when the police got there, which is what caused them to put her in cuffs.

No, she wasn't....the teacher and the asst. principal both say that she had already calmed down by the time the police arrived--AND that they were aware the mother was on her way to the school.

I am a teacher and a parent of a kindergartener. I think that the teachers and the principle should have handled this situation. If you have the skills a training you should have to be an early childhood educator, the teacher could have handled it or even prevented it.

Nice to see I'm not the only one out there!

47

Island Dog

on Apr 26, 2005

You stand behind the child, wrap your arms around her, and then lower the two of you to the floor, sitting there with her until she gets her emotions back under control. IMO, this is a child who has deep emotional issues, and the trauma of being handcuffed and placed into a police car is going to increase her problems. Unless the school and the parents are willing to work together to help this child, the next tantrum--and yes,without intervention there WILL be a next one--will be even worse.

So instead of calling the police to restrain the child, you are just doing it yourself. I don't think so.

I watched the entire video and this was more than a "temper tamtrum". This child was physically tearing up the principals office and was way out of control. When a person, no matter what age, gets that out of control, it's time to call the authorities.

However you are right about one thing, this will happen again. Although it's not the fault of the school, it's the parents.

48

foreverserenity

on Apr 26, 2005

#46 by Poetmom99
Tuesday, April 26, 2005

Sorry, but as a former kindergarten teacher, I find this whole situation sad and ridiculous. One year, I had a child who acted the way this girl was shown to act...and on several occasions. Never once did I or the school administration consider calling the police to subdue her or handcuff her and take her away. We dealt with the situation in the way we were taught to deal with it in our college classes...I had an entire quarter dedicated to classroom discipline, emotional outbursts, "temper tantrums," and the like. So, in the face of a child throwing things at me, attempting to throw herself against classroom windows, screaming, yelling, etc., I knew how to handle her, which, as the authority figure in the classroom, was my responsibility.

Thank you, thank you, you hit the nail on the head!

On another report it was said that the mother although she told them she was on the way to the school, she was told that they were calling the police and the police were there when she arrived. So there are obviously more issues here.

These days most schools and teachers don't take the time anymore to do what they were trained as teaching professionals to do. They're quick to call the police and then everything escalates out of control.

*sigh* The things children do. I don't see whay people are against handcuffing a 5yr old. Children don't deserve a break if they break the law...just because they're small and weak. If that was a highschooler that could do some serious damage no one would object. You've got to teach kids a lesson when they're young. It shows them what will happen when you fuck up. If they didn't correct the behavior what makes you think that it won't happen again and again.

~Zoo

Zoo, I'm in total disagreement with you. You really need to think more carefully about this. This is a 5year old, a highschooler would definately have been a lot different issue; but either way, there are ways to deal with children who are having a tantrum no matter what age they are.

49

Nebraskawoman

on Apr 26, 2005

You stand behind the child, wrap your arms around her, and then lower the two of you to the floor, sitting there with her until she gets her emotions back under control.

Have you ever had a child throw their head back into your nose while you are trying to hold them from behind? I've seen people end up with broken noses when they tried this because they thought they could hold an emotionally disturbed child like they could any other child.

This girl has problems and could not be controlled like all the other children. And yes, she had calmed down when the police got there but thats only because the adults quit trying to talk to her or treat her like they would another child. Whenever they tried to treat her as they would any other child she would start storming. Not all children can be treated the same.

I don't know anything about the child you had throwing a fit in your class but this girl was out to injure anyone who came near her. That's why it took more that one police officer to control her and safely get her into the handcuffs.

50

Anthony

on Apr 26, 2005

That was the best commentary I have heard on this story thus far. I have been sitting in front of my computer for the last two hours reading all the articles I could about this case. Most of the commentary is about how wrong the school was for calling the police. I want to know what was the school suppose do if they are the authority figure and they have exhausted all of your methods of discipline and the child is not responding. Not only was the child hand cuffed, the school was hand cuffed because they were not able to detain a 5 year old child from tearing up the school in fear of a law suite. And how dare the mother say "They set my baby up." She needs her ass whipped along with her bad ass child. Now the mother has detained a lawyer to sue. She is also accepting money to do interviews on television speaking out on the injustice that her child has been involved in. I hope she gets a big settlement and saves it because she is going to need plenty of money in the future to detain lawyers for that little criminal, oh I mean 5 year old child.

51

Poetmom99

on Apr 26, 2005

So instead of calling the police to restrain the child, you are just doing it yourself. I don't think so.

It's part of my job as a teacher...and it's less traumatic for the child, as I'm someone with whom she is familiar and more comfortable

I watched the entire video and this was more than a "temper tamtrum". This child was physically tearing up the principals office and was way out of control. When a person, no matter what age, gets that out of control, it's time to call the authorities.

And if the teacher had done her job and calmed the girl prior to removing her to the principal's office, then she would never have gotten that out of control.

However you are right about one thing, this will happen again. Although it's not the fault of the school, it's the parents.

I would have to disagree....I think they share the blame.

I don't know anything about the child you had throwing a fit in your class but this girl was out to injure anyone who came near her. That's why it took more that one police officer to control her and safely get her into the handcuffs.

Well, let's put it this way...she threw a lamp at my head! And she kept trying to put her head through a window...a CLOSED window.

Also, the child in this incident had CALMED by the time the police arrived...the school authorities admit that, the police admit that...and she didn't begin to cry and scream again until the officers began putting her into the restraints. When they entered the office, she was sitting quietly on a chair, waiting for her mother.

52

Stayce Bond

on Apr 26, 2005

Right on! I am a Chicago Public School teacher and it seems you can't protect yourself neither against verbal nor physical assaults because the parents simply blame the teachers or the administrators without even hearing the whole story first. Yes, it is believable (after 9 years of teaching) to know that a parent can even watch their child on video behave in a violent, inappropriate way and STILL insist the adult in charge did something wrong. When are we going to start making certain parents liable for their negligence in properly raising their child?

53

Stayce Bond

on Apr 26, 2005

Right on! I am a Chicago Public School teacher and it seems you can't protect yourself neither against verbal nor physical assaults because the parents simply blame the teachers or the administrators without even hearing the whole story first. Yes, it is believable (after 9 years of teaching) to know that a parent can even watch their child on video behave in a violent, inappropriate way and STILL insist the adult in charge did something wrong. When are we going to start making certain parents liable for their negligence in properly raising their child?

54

ParaTed2k

on Apr 26, 2005

It's part of my job as a teacher...and it's less traumatic for the child, as I'm someone with whom she is familiar and more comfortable

I'm glad that you work in an area that allows it to be your job. I am all for teachers' and administrators being the authority figure in the classroom. Unfortunatly that isn't as common as it should be.

Back in the 70's, I was paddled. When I got home, my mom told me that she got a call from my shop teacher, who told her that he paddled me (but not why). When I told her why, I got grounded on top of the humiliation of the "stinger".

Guess what, I deserved both!! There is no doubt in my mind that my parents would have backed me 100% if I was in the right (actually, they did the few times I was), but when I wasn't, they backed the teacher and the school. Now that I'm a parent, so do I!

55

MarcieMoo

on Apr 27, 2005

I've finally seen the video of this incident and frankly, I almost vomited. That little girl SEEMED (I'm not saying that she is) completely coddled and spoiled.

I'm also not saying that she deserved to be handcuffed. I don't know what I'd do if that happened in my classroom. I don't have anything in my classroom that can't be replaced, so, I hope what I would do is to take the other kids out and just let her finish having her tantrum. Hopefully I would be able to talk to her afterwards and let mom and the admins know.

My guess is that she was reacting to a totally spastic teacher--kids feed off the adults. If I'm high-strung on a particular day and I tend to raise my voice more, so do the kids. *I'm* the boss in the classroom...I set the tone.

There are anomalies in behavior however...~shrugs~ So who knows?

56

Texas Wahine

on Apr 27, 2005

I am a teacher

the principle

This gave me a chuckle. Yes, the teachers and the "principle" should have handled this problem.

(apologies, Dr.Guy)

57

joeKnowledge

on Apr 28, 2005

It's absolutely pathetic that the police had to become involved in this case, but when we live in a world where lawsuits have taken precedence over personal responsibility, I can see why the authority figures would have been cautious about even breathing on the child.

Agreed.

I am not sure about the details in this one. I do find it hard to believe that this child took advantage of all the adults in the situation, but considering lawsuit happy America US of A, they just did what they could go as far as doig. They probably know the Mother too.

I, for one, do not disagree with handcuffing the child IF and only if, she was unstoppable. In the event that she was handcuffed, there should have been someone right next to her to make sure she did not hurt herself, ADD or otherwise.

That is the only problem I have with this. Where was the other officer watching the kid while handcuffed?

Mistakes were made here but they were not that larges for a lawsuit, in my opinion. I do not know the detials enough to feel otherwise.

Chances are, the woman is ignorant to what she is doing to her child. Ever watch nanny 911 or Super nanny? The people on there love their children, and they don't "abuse" their children. They are simply ignorant of how to raise a disciplined child. Chances are that the Mother grew up in a home that didn't have a lot of structure, so she doesn't know what to do either. Taking a child away from their own Mother should *always* be a last resort. Education should be the first.

Agreed.
Lets see what the Mother is doing to raise her child and help her to do better.

Educators ARE trained to physcially restrain children without harming them; the issue is that they shouldn't HAVE to be. Despite what you may think, it IS possible for children to cause physical damage to adults.

Never heard of that.

The bottom line is that this is an example of schools going off key. Either they are arresting student because the brought in a nail clipper or they can't do anything about a fight because they will ge sued.

I totally disagree with those who feel that teachers should be able to control a kid. The reality is the teacher can only do their best to control the situaton. If the kid does not come under control, there is not much that can be done without fear of being sued. The teacher has to think twice about a full blown stop of the kid, even if the kid is threatining another child.

I don't think children should be hit with any paddle, but clearly a teacher should be able to stop a fight with some amount of force or detain an unruley child who is dirupting the class and distroying things.

58

joeKnowledge

on Apr 28, 2005

Oh and I wanted to mention something:
As a person currently going through a human rights battel and have some knowledge of the civil court areana, I have to tell you guys that sueing someone is not easy at all and can take years.

So take solice in the fact that it can go nowhere real fast.

My problem is that people think sueing is the first thing to do for any reason. This hurt REAL cases like mine where something actually happen well within civil law.

I think people need to take a hard look at themselves when they plan on suing someone and think about what they are going to go through as well as the other person.

That is what I did. It took a while to gain the curaoge to speak out, whistle blow and then file a human rights complaint (which was ignored almost to the point of being closed because of sue happy people and those who deal with them thinking this was just another case of money hungry person out for money).

59

poetryjules

on Apr 29, 2005

I am an instructional assistant in Special Education in the state of Oregon. I know that in Oregon you have to follow certain procedures and regulations per Oregon Administration Regulations. Violations of these OAR's can put you on administrative leave or even cost you your job. To legally restrain a student they have to be on an IEP (Individual Education Plan) and/or have a behavior plan in place that outlines specific guidelines for certain behaviors and how staff are to deal with them. These behaviour plans usually begin with the least restrictive attempts to the last resort of physical restraint and to be able to do so you have to have received "OIS" training (a course on legal restraints and how to properly use them) for the students behavioral needs. I can understand why the teacher and administrator did not restrain the child for the simple fear of losing their jobs, not to mentions laws suits are rampant these days too. I also know that many times if a child is having a "behavior" and other students are at risk of being hurt or injured it is part of the protocol to have the other students removed versus the child having the behavior. I have seen children, as well as adults traumatized by just witnessing the agressiveness of the behavioral child and having to be restrained. I myself have sustained injuries ranging from bite wounds,having my hair pulled out, my shirt ripped off of me (in front of an entire class), being choked, skin lacerations and a back injury from legally restraining a child. It is not a fun situation to be in to say the least and even more frustrating that the child with behaviors generally has more rights then those trying to keep them from injuring themselves, other students in the same educational entironment,etc. It is saddening to see this taking place on a regular basis and more often then is brought to the publics eye.

60

Hazylunarrain

on Apr 29, 2005

I know it can be difficult, but even with everything that has been said since my last post, I still think there were better ways to handle this situation. Hell, I have had to pin my own 14 y/o boy because he lost control of himself. (Something that doesn't happen since I started to stay home instead of having a job that required me to be out of town most of the time) I think this is just the little girl trying in the best way she knows how to get the attention she needs...maybe?

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