Teacher Cuts Off 1st Grader's Braid In Front Of Class

[txsvicki]

Oh, there would have certainly been some disorderly conduct if this would have been my child! I have little to no patience when it comes to complete idiots!

My middle school grandson got a disorderly conduct fine of $250 just for he and another boy getting irritated and slapping each other on the arm. I might have known some deranged abusive teacher would get less of a fine than some child. I'm suprised she even got into any trouble at all, and highly doubt that she will be fired or anything else happen. She could have used a hair clip or bobby pin to pin up the braid if it was distracting to learning at the time then written the parents a note. I hope the parents can get her to pay for therapy plus a hair extension to replace the abused and chopped up hair. This woman needs mental help unlike the boy in the other story who drew a crucifix. She could possibly hit or stab a child if she would take scissors to a child in this way.

 

[Boyz_Mum]

She could have used a hair clip or bobby pin to pin up the braid if it was distracting to learning at the time then written the parents a note.

Respectfully snipped...

The teacher could have used a paper clip to pull up the braid if it caused a distraction, right?

(I've fixed a toilet with a bread tie. I think a teacher should be able to fashion a staple into a hair clip? :crazy

 

[southcitymom]

Thank you so much for the photo(s). Lamya is adorable!

I'm not seeing anything objectionable about the braids in the photo(s).

I see the teacher as a brute.

I don't think the teacher found the braid objectionable, per se. I think she got frustrated telling the little girl over and over again to NOT fiddle with it while she was supposed to be concentrating on classwork. But, hey, welcome to the world of 1st graders.

The little girl is cute as pie!

 

[southcitymom]

Respectfully snipped...

The teacher could have used a paper clip to pull up the braid if it caused a distraction, right?

(I've fixed a toilet with a bread tie. I think a teacher should be able to fashion a staple into a hair clip? :crazy

Moms and teachers should always travel with a safety pin and a paperclip - I can fix just about anything with those two items!!!

 

[Boyz_Mum]

Moms and teachers should always travel with a safety pin and a paperclip - I can fix just about anything with those two items!!!

That is so funny, southcitymom. If I can't fix something with a paperclip or bread tie (or duct tape, or superglue), it's time to call a pro. :crazy:

I still can't believe this teacher did this. I can't even think of a hypothetical situation that makes this sound like the best route of action for a teacher to take. Our kids teachers have phoned the house to see if they could put a bandaid on a cut/scrape. I am pretty sure they wouldn't attempt to cut gum out of a child's hair, let alone snip off a braid.

 

[Salem]

Thank you so much for the photo(s). Lamya is adorable!

I'm not seeing anything objectionable about the braids in the photo(s).

I see the teacher as a brute.

I agree - this child is adorable. And it looks like her family helps her take care of her hair, keeping it neat and nice.

This teacher could have sent her to the office, called her mom and talked to her, just about anything without completely humiliating her and cutting her hair. :furious:

I just can't imagine.... the poor child. And I think I read that Layma has been moved to a different classroom, making her more of a scapegoat of the children that saw her get her braid cut and laughed at her. Think what that teacher taught those kids that day when she cut Layma's hair, threw it in the garbarage and let the other kids laugh at her while she cried. What a message to send to first graders.

I really hope that the parents of the other students step in and step up and explain to their children that you DO NOT treat others this way and that Layma deserves some compassion and understanding - NOT teasing and taunting.

Salem

ETA - I wonder what the other kids told their parents about their day at school after this happened.

 

[Salem]

I don't think the teacher found the braid objectionable, per se. I think she got frustrated telling the little girl over and over again to NOT fiddle with it while she was supposed to be concentrating on classwork. But, hey, welcome to the world of 1st graders.

The little girl is cute as pie!

I think you have this right South - it sounds like the teacher only cut one braid? I'm not sure. But the bigger question is - why did this irritate the teacher so much? All children fiddle with their hair. If this was the first time Layma wore her hair in braids like that, I think it would be natural to play with the beads, etc.

The teacher surely has dealt with children playing with their hair before? I don't know, but I think she completely over reacted and acted out of bounds.

Salem

 

[aprilshowers]

LAMYA CAMMON

http://www./52396/teacher-cuts-students-hair/

I would have offered a barrette to hold the braid back ... if it were falling into her face and causing her not to be able to see well, or just getting in her way. That's IT! And even that, I would have 'offered', not forced. Damn teacher!

 

[aprilshowers]

I have sons .. and their hair was short in school .. but if it were long .. annoying to the teacher, or whatever .. and she DARE cut my son's hair ... I would be LIVID! Trust me .. it wouldn't be pretty!

 

[southcitymom]

I think you have this right South - it sounds like the teacher only cut one braid? I'm not sure. But the bigger question is - why did this irritate the teacher so much? All children fiddle with their hair. If this was the first time Layma wore her hair in braids like that, I think it would be natural to play with the beads, etc.

The teacher surely has dealt with children playing with their hair before? I don't know, but I think she completely over reacted and acted out of bounds.

Salem

I'd love to know the teacher's history - how long she had been teaching, what grades she was used to teaching, etc.....


I will say - as to the why - I think most adults who work with children will tell you that they automatically like some kids and automatically are annoyed by some kids - that stands to reason of course. Maybe the beads thing had been driving this teacher bonkers all year and here it is getting close to the holidays with a bunch of amped up 1st graders....and this teacher snapped.

Doesn't excuse it, of course, but I can see how it happened.

 

[orb4me]

The little girls mother was raging on the inside but was well contained during the interview. I hope she sues them all.
I really like the idea of going to PTA meeting..thats good.

I can remember when things would happen at school with my kids, I could be a raging manic...I can not comprehend the teacher still being in the school, and everyone back to normal. Sounds like Scarlett in Gone with the Wind. "la la, I will worry about that another day"

 

[southcitymom]

Those who think the mother should sue - what would the damages be? A civil suit is about money. I guess if the girl needed psychological counseling, that money could be reimbursed, but frankly, I would be concerned if my child needed actual professional counseling after this incident.

Please don't get my wrong. I think what the teacher did was wrong enough that she should, at the very least, not be allowed to teach that grade anymore. I'm not willing to go farther than that unless there is evidence that this teacher has done other bizarre things.

 

[RLynne]

I don't think this has been posted yet:
[video=youtube;-Aq1WeS6VCs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Aq1WeS6VCs[/video] .

That kid is amazingly cute. You can see the cut braid, too.

 

[PeteyGirl]

There's probably not enough they can do but give her a $175 ticket for disorderly conduct, at least at the criminal level.

But I hope the school district can and will do a bit more than that.

A person willing to go at a child with scissors because she got "frustrated" is a person who can't cope with her frustration without lashing out. She gave herself permission to do what she did, at the moment, she felt justified. That says a lot about her character, and it ain't good. This can't be the first time she "lashed out", she's just escalated her lashings out over time and she finally got caught.

This can't be the first time a parent has complained, either. I'll bet we see more action from the school district once they get their ducks in a row.

 

[eaglemom]

I just have to chime in here.... I don't watch much daytime TV but did anyone else catch the Oprah episode with Chris Rock on African American hair? He actually made a film about it and the millions of dollars that are spent. He went into beauty parlors across the country - some of these women fly from Chicago to New York to get extensions put in - most of these beauty shops have 'lay away' for hair - the extensions cost thousands of dollars. Beyonce's sister cut all of her hair off recently because she said she was becoming a 'slave' to it. Girls start very young gettting perms and weaves and all sorts of things. To braid this little girl's hair took hours.

When this teacher cut off this braid she did much more than simply 'cut off some hair'. It was a huge insult. I really know only what I learned so I may be speaking out of turn but - it a much more complex issue within the home and the community.

MOO

 

[southcitymom]

I just have to chime in here.... I don't watch much daytime TV but did anyone else catch the Oprah episode with Chris Rock on African American hair? He actually made a film about it and the millions of dollars that are spent. He went into beauty parlors across the country - some of these women fly from Chicago to New York to get extensions put in - most of these beauty shops have 'lay away' for hair - the extensions cost thousands of dollars. Beyonce's sister cut all of her hair off recently because she said she was becoming a 'slave' to it. Girls start very young gettting perms and weaves and all sorts of things. To braid this little girl's hair took hours.

When this teacher cut off this braid she did much more than simply 'cut off some hair'. It was a huge insult. I really know only what I learned so I may be speaking out of turn but - it a much more complex issue within the home and the community.

MOO

Chris's movie was called Good Hair - a terrific film that does delve fairly deeply (and humorously) into this issue.

 

[WholeLottaRosie]

Those who think the mother should sue - what would the damages be? A civil suit is about money. I guess if the girl needed psychological counseling, that money could be reimbursed, but frankly, I would be concerned if my child needed actual professional counseling after this incident.

Please don't get my wrong. I think what the teacher did was wrong enough that she should, at the very least, not be allowed to teach that grade anymore. I'm not willing to go farther than that unless there is evidence that this teacher has done other bizarre things.

In a civil suit we also have punitive damages which are to punish someone. In this case, where the DA is not prosecuting the abusive teacher, and the school board is apparently doing nothing, I would be going after the punitive to punish the teacher and the school board in the only manner we have left, financially.

Although I think the teacher should be charged with felony abuse, lose her license as she should never be around children again and have to pay punitive damages for the child, mother's and family's anguish over this.

And I think the teacher's name should be public so others know who she is and can keep other children away from her.

 

[southcitymom]

In a civil suit we also have punitive damages which are to punish someone. In this case, where the DA is not prosecuting the abusive teacher, and the school board is apparently doing nothing, I would be going after the punitive to punish the teacher and the school board in the only manner we have left, financially.

Although I think the teacher should be charged with felony abuse, lose her license as she should never be around children again and have to pay punitive damages for the child, mother's and family's anguish over this.

And I think the teacher's name should be public so others know who she is and can keep other children away from her.

IIRC, in the state of Georgia (where I was involved in civil litigation for a number of years), you cannot go for punitive damages unless you have actual damages. It may be different elsewhere.

So, here at least, they would have to prove actual damages before they could even ask for punitive damages to be considered. And from my experience, punitive damages are hard to get - you really have to prove some active malice.

I think the best way to send a message regarding this teacher is through the school system not the court system.

 

[Snackcakes66]

Frustrated or not, this poor excuse of a teacher has clearly demonstrated having no qualms about using humiliation for her/his own satisfaction. The purpose of cutting this childs hair IN FRONT of classmates had nothing to do with punishment and everything to do with a self serving satisfaction of seeing a child's pain and public humiliation. This teacher has also given the classmates a lesson in how to be a bully. Dollars to donuts this is not the first time bullying has been used in this classroom. Kudos to the family for the media attention. If legal measures don't work, maybe public pressure will. I like pickets and protests myself. Brings out the newsvans.

 

[Marine Mom]

What little girl DOESN't play with their hair? Glad she wasn't my teacher. I would have been bald.