GA - 6 yr old handcuffed at elementary school for tantrum

longtallcold

What happened to Nancy Jenkins?
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"She has mood swings some days, which all of us had mood swings some days. I guess that was just one of her bad days that day," said Constance Ruff.

No Mom, not all of us have mood swings like that.

I hate the thought of a little girl in handcuffs, but on the other hand, what if she had broken that glass frame and cut herself? Would the parents be blaming the school for not restraining their child for her own safety?

Seems like the administration is kind of between a rock and a hard place. Clearly that little girl needs intervention.
 
The child should have been 5150'd to a psych ward. There are special schools for children who are violent/self abusive. My DD went to one...they are trained in four point restraint and have quiet rooms. My child was 5150'd many times to the hospital...it took many years but she learned coping methods to control her behavior and that in society people who are aggressive to others go to the hospital or jail. She now is a special ed teacher in NC and teaches children who are just like she used to be. This child needs help.
 
Sounds like the little girl is in need of professional attention and enrollment at a special school that can handle her "mood swings". Unfortunately, I have no doubts that her mood swings probably cause major problems in that class and take up too much of the teacher's attention and deprive the other children of their right to have an education in a safe environment.

Her parents seem to be in denial and probably are a huge part of the problem. I taught for many years and had quite a few students over the years who were extremely disruptive, violent and destructive.

The child in question could have caused serious harm to herself or others and no matter what the school did, i am sure the parents would be complaining. The "rights" of this child should not be allowed to trample all over the rights of the other children who are behaving, do want to learn and are following the rules.

I hope the little girl gets the help she needs because if she doesn't then she can expect handcuffs to play a major part in the rest of her life.
 
People who have never seen a 6 yr old having full fledged freak out might not understand the need for handcuffs. I saw callers on HLN berating the school and the cops for using retraints. One lady said something like" If they cannot handle a 6 yr little girl when she is putting up a fuss then they should not work those jobs."

Respectfully, to this lady, I doubt she has seen some of the tantrums that kids are capable of. I worked in a school for years too. I have seen little bitty kids throw chairs at teachers, try to stab other kids with sharpened pencils, and throw bricks at windows to try and break them and cut the other students. When a little child totally loses it and has a total meltdown, it is very dangerous as an adult to try and subdue them. You have to be very careful not to hurt them, and yet they seem to have superhuman strength at at the time. They can be kicking and hitting and spitting and screaming and scratching, and the only thing you can do is try and HUG them really hard to wrap up their arms and legs and calm them down and keep them from hurting themselves.

We rarely ever called for LE, but there was one boy who was very strong and very volatile. And for his own safety we had to do so. He was handcuffed when LE cam and he was only 8, but he would hit and slap and scratch anyone in the face that he could get to.

His parents were very upset when they saw him in cuffs but it is what it is. And I think it helped them get out of denial about the situation. Before seeing that they used to think the boy was being treated unfairly. They would defend his aggressive actions and say he was being bullied. But in reality he was the bully. Kids did not play with him because he would suddenly lash out if upset.
 
The child needs professional intervention...and so do Mom and Dad. They are in denial.
 
I worked a preschool teacher and never had a kid I couldn't physically handle. But at age 6? I agree that this is mostly a liability issue. The little girl was running around destroying things, climbing on things.

I also agree this is not a typical mood swing or even tantrum.

I do note, however, that it is mostly black kids who seem to get handcuffed in these incidents and that troubles me. Are they perceived as more inherently dangerous or violent?

In any event, the parents need to get this child some psychological help. The parents seem like sweet people and the kid seems like a darling kid. If this is how she acts now and then due to a mood swing, she could have a serious mental issue.
 
I worked a preschool teacher and never had a kid I couldn't physically handle. But at age 6? I agree that this is mostly a liability issue. The little girl was running around destroying things, climbing on things.

I also agree this is not a typical mood swing or even tantrum.

I do note, however, that it is mostly black kids who seem to get handcuffed in these incidents and that troubles me. Are they perceived as more inherently dangerous or violent?

In any event, the parents need to get this child some psychological help. The parents seem like sweet people and the kid seems like a darling kid. If this is how she acts now and then due to a mood swing, she could have a serious mental issue.

And I wonder - what's triggering these "mood swings" if she's usually so good? Could she be acting out because of something going on in her life because she can't articulate it? Could be a medical/mental health issue, or it could be a sign of something going on in her life that her parents aren't aware of.
 
I disagree with publishing the girl's name. She is six years old.
 
I have a six year old, and he has rage fueled tantrums.

I can say with all sincerity, I would rather see him in cuffs than see him harmed by an adult trying to physically restrain him or to see him harm himself while throwing himself around, or harm someone else.

Life is rough, but all kids, by the time they start school, can comprehend that when you act out there are consequences. this time the consequence was a restraint. Thankfully, it wasn't a broken bone.
 
I guess handcuffs would be better than having your child placed in a straitjacket (sp?). At any rate, they can't just let her run amok destroying things, and possibly hurting herself or someone else.

Really, what were they supposed to do? What type of restraints would be "ok" to use? I know nothing aobut restraints, but if it came down to handcuffs or someone holding my child down, I'd go with the handcuffs, too.

As for it being just black children, unless it were the same police department doing it over and over again, it sounds more like a coincidence...or maybe it's just the black children and their parents who are making it in the news? (Not being facetious, I'm as stumped as the next person).
 
I guess handcuffs would be better than having your child placed in a straitjacket (sp?). At any rate, they can't just let her run amok destroying things, and possibly hurting herself or someone else.

Really, what were they supposed to do? What type of restraints would be "ok" to use? I know nothing aobut restraints, but if it came down to handcuffs or someone holding my child down, I'd go with the handcuffs, too.

As for it being just black children, unless it were the same police department doing it over and over again, it sounds more like a coincidence...or maybe it's just the black children and their parents who are making it in the news? (Not being facetious, I'm as stumped as the next person).

I think all districts and areas have their own preferred restraints, but around here it's papoose boards.http://www.quickmedical.com/olympicmedical/circumstraint/papoose_boards.html
The schools all have them so do the doctors and dentists offices, and some parents, when it's advised by a doctor.
 
This girl really needs some professional help. That doesn't sound like a normal mood swing to me.

I'm glad no one, including her, was seriously injured.
 
I
I do note, however, that it is mostly black kids who seem to get handcuffed in these incidents and that troubles me. Are they perceived as more inherently dangerous or violent?

Hmmm....this got me thinking and made me look back at some stories we've discussed here on WS.

Race not mentioned; assuming child is not black based on the photo
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ghts-Middle-Schools-orders.html#ixzz1oSWlSut1


Race not mentioned; all linked articles appear to have been removed.
8 year old Autistic Girl Handcuffed at School - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community


Race not mentioned; no photos in linked articles
Girl arrested, handcuffed for taking scissors to school - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community


Race not mentioned; child tasered
Florida School Security Officer Tasers 11-Year-Old Girl - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community


Race not mentioned; linked article has been removed
7 year old special needs child handcuffed - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community


Race not mentioned (although height and weight are listed!); victim may have been black based on quote below?
8-year-old handcuffed, charged with battery - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

The 10-year-old victim, whose name was not released, said he was playing basketball Monday evening at the Tallahassee Housing Authority's Pinewood Place development. Isaac walked up and called him "a black chocolate chip." The victim said, "You are."
 
2nd grade....tied to chair with teachers neck scarf.
Reason? I walked around and wouldn't sit still. (sorry)

Years later-----still alive. didn't do that again. My parents thanked her.
Stuff happens.
Now-a-days kids (most) are wild and undiciplined. Yeah, my opinion but I see it with my 20/20 eyes as well.

eta- yep some of the kids in my family are uncontrolled as well. Nothing I can do about it, I'm not the parent and can leave at any time. yay.
 

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