KY - Third Graders Handcuffed in School, Covington, Federal Lawsuit Filed Aug 2015

[human]

If a child is being disruptive, hurting other children, and taking up the teacher's time so other children lose out, what should happen? Are other parents happy that their well behaved child has to be put to the side while the disruptive child commands the resources?

 

[Margo/Mom]

What? I'm not "believing every meme", I've lived this. I have an extremely close relationship with my kid's schools, and I know moms on field trips can hang on to kids, but teachers can't. A teacher can literally not hold a child's hand who is likely to dart out into traffic as they load the bus.

And who said anything about corporal punishment? I couldn't be more against that than I am. I'm for teachers being able to hold on to kids, hold them in chairs gently, get down on their level and hold them by the shoulders to indicate seriousness.

Next time, if you don't understand what I'm saying, ask rather than assume.

This just popped up in the news. An "aggressive" teacher likely to be fired. In addition to a cited incident there is apparently some history of warnings for inappropriate behavior. In addition a contested report that the teacher had a tantrum and trashed her classroom when she was assigned outside the classroom pending investigation. All of which is to say, this case doesn't look simple or the result of one incident.

What caught my eye, however, is the statement from the union prez:

Tracey Johnson, president of the Columbus teachers union, declined to discuss Smith’s case. But she said that staff members are taking a chance of being accused of misconduct whenever they try to break up a fight between students. Ohio law allows teachers to use reasonable restraint against a student who is doing harm to a person or property, Johnson said.

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/08/05/columbus-teacher.html

Personally, I don't find this kind of mixed messaging to be helpful. On the one hand conceding that reasonable restraint is allowed to prevent harm--but leading off with a statement that teachers are at risk should they do so. While I fully understand the (appropriate) role of the union in protecting teachers from unreasonable accusations, this sort of statement leads to beliefs, such as those you articulated, that teachers are prohibited from ever touching a student.

 

[cady]

Well, getting LE out of the schools would be a good start.

My point is, however, that they never stormed the doors asking to be let in. School districts go begging for LE to put officers in schools in order to do exactly the kinds of things this officer did.

So, is THAT what a "resource officer" is for? Shameful. I did not know that, but I never had children, so never paid attention to what was happening. (How "resourceful"....get a guy in here to deal with the little criminals) UGH. JMO

 

[Tulessa]

Well, I don't consider failing a test as a bump in the road. I consider that good feedback.

But I'm sorry about what Mrs. Gray did to you. I don't know how old you are, but I'm in my mid 50's, and teachers were allowed to brutalize kids back in the day. It is an odd thing - I remember meek kids being picked on by teachers. Gosh, to have the gift of a meek kid in a classroom! I can't understand why any teacher would be mean to them, but I've seen it.

My guess is, you're a deeper and better person with perspective on life than if you didn't experience Mrs. Gray.

Not in our Kentucky school system. We weren't even allowed out in the hall without a pass. But I was certainly never brutalized by a teacher.

 

[human]

Schools today have huge issues. The children come to school with problems galore.

But the public does not know because of privacy. Think about it. Children witness murder, are sexually abused, physicaly abused, see drug and alochol abuse, see prostitution, murder, you name it.
Then you have the parents who demand perfection.

 

[SugarQueen]

I am way behind on this thread but just really need to chime in. I think it is sad that this child was handcuffed. We don't know the details of this child's school history. That may have played a huge part in what happened.
Some of you may remember the thread I had on my nieces and nephew. I am NOT saying the child in this thread was like my nephew, just pointing out a few things.
My nephew was suspended multiple times in kindergarten, and finally expelled! He did things like toppling another child's desk onto them, stabbed a child with a pencil, cut the teachers sweater while she was leaning over helping another child, threw books at teachers, aides, and children, ripped up other children's work. The teacher, aide, and administration tried , they really did. It got to the point where they would call my ex SIL to come and pick him up. Ex SILs response was to blame the school, then take nephew out for treats for the day. Nephew ripped up someone's work, well that's because they finished first and he likes to be first. Nephew stabbed kid with pencil, well that's because he wanted the color crayon the other student had, student should have given it to him. Nephew cut teachers sweater, well she shouldn't have been standing there paying attention to another student while asking nephew to wait his turn. You get the idea . Every time he was sent home he would get a trip to the toy store, going to the park, out to lunch.
I tried to warn her not to bad mouth the teacher and school in front of him, and NOT to make getting sent home fun. it got to the point where he rarely made it through a full day of school, and eventually he was home most days within 2 hours of getting there. When he got expelled mom picked him up from school and they went and bought him a Nintendo DS. All the while mom was insisting that the SCHOOL should be teaching him to behave , not sending him home!
My nephews school offered mom tons of resources, wanted him tested, wanted mom to have a mental health exam done on him. Mom fought, mom threatened lawsuits. When nephew was expelled it was close to the end of the school year.
All this to point out that sometimes the teacher and schools really do have their hands tied.
( Again, I am NOT saying this is the case with this child.)

 

[SugarQueen]

Just wanted to add that my nephew was eventually tested and DXd with Asperger's syndrome. Unfortunately that just gave my SIL more excuses for his behavior. Nephew is an extremely smart child with a very dim future due largely to lack of parenting.

 

[1&2&3]

Several things I question. Is this a regular classroom or special classroom, meaning how qualified and experienced was the teacher?

Was this child escorted to the restroom by LE because he was a special needs and could not go alone? Why was LE escorting child to restroom to begin with?

Was child acting up in class before going to the restroom? So this "elbowing" happened out of sight to anyone other than the officer and child?

I would assume the teacher was recording the officer and the handcuffed child for the record as she was flabbergasted to what was happening and wanted a record of it. Remember, even though it is her classroom, her student, no one talks back to a law officer!

It would be helpful to know the backstory on this as to how the officer got involved in the first place. Is this child truly a disruptive child who created chaos day in and day out? Or is this officer way out of line by trying to make a point to a special needs child?

My munchkins have been out of school for years. I thought officers in the schools were more of a preventative safety role not escorting little ones to the restroom.

 

[cady]

Schools today have huge issues. The children come to school with problems galore.

But the public does not know because of privacy. Think about it. Children witness murder, are sexually abused, physicaly abused, see drug and alochol abuse, see prostitution, murder, you name it.
Then you have the parents who demand perfection.

Yes. And they may be sleepless and hungry and not developing skills that are "normal" for their ages. Playing is a developmental necessity for creativity and social interaction, but in our increasingly dangerous society, kids can't seem to do anything without supervision. That's not playing. And either is pushing buttons on a remote. I feel so badly for kids today. They haven't changed, but we have. JMO........add, LOL, remember "Officer Krupke" song in West Side Story?

 

[okmom23]

Several things I question. Is this a regular classroom or special classroom, meaning how qualified and experienced was the teacher?

Was this child escorted to the restroom by LE because he was a special needs and could not go alone? Why was LE escorting child to restroom to begin with?

Was child acting up in class before going to the restroom? So this "elbowing" happened out of sight to anyone other than the officer and child?

I would assume the teacher was recording the officer and the handcuffed child for the record as she was flabbergasted to what was happening and wanted a record of it. Remember, even though it is her classroom, her student, no one talks back to a law officer!

It would be helpful to know the backstory on this as to how the officer got involved in the first place. Is this child truly a disruptive child who created chaos day in and day out? Or is this officer way out of line by trying to make a point to a special needs child?

My munchkins have been out of school for years. I thought officers in the schools were more of a preventative safety role not escorting little ones to the restroom.

I think one could draw the same conclusions you have as to why this incident was recorded; but, one could also conclude that the incident was recorded as a way to protect both the school and the officer if they felt the action were necessary due to the circumstances that led up to the officer being called to the school. In my opinion, the person recording this incident probably didn't disagree with what was going on and I'm a little doubtful that they would stand by and allow this to unfold because they were "scared" of the officer.
I hate these little snippets of cell phone video, they almost never show the "full" picture of events and as a result I have a difficult time forming an opinion of the events. I think the situation could have been handled more appropriately but I'm not really ready to say the officer and school were totally in the wrong nor I'm ready to say their actions were appropriate.


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[human]

I don't think,handcuffing is appropriate. For a middle school or high school doing criminal acts where they will be arrested is one thing.

If this child is so dangerous that he hurts others, maybe this is a step in the legal process to get him assessed and have his issues addressed.

I doubt if the public will know because he is a minor.

 

[bluesneakers]

I don't think,handcuffing is appropriate. For a middle school or high school doing criminal acts where they will be arrested is one thing.

If this child is so dangerous that he hurts others, maybe this is a step in the legal process to get him assessed and have his issues addressed.

I doubt if the public will know because he is a minor.

I don't even consider what happened to this child "handcuffed."

 

[cady]

I don't even consider what happened to this child "handcuffed."

Yeah, more like the torture of the "stocks".........JMO

 

[Plombage]

Technically your right he's not handcuffed he's armcuffed.

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[KaaBoom]

Several things I question. Is this a regular classroom or special classroom, meaning how qualified and experienced was the teacher?

Was this child escorted to the restroom by LE because he was a special needs and could not go alone? Why was LE escorting child to restroom to begin with?

Was child acting up in class before going to the restroom? So this "elbowing" happened out of sight to anyone other than the officer and child?

I would assume the teacher was recording the officer and the handcuffed child for the record as she was flabbergasted to what was happening and wanted a record of it. Remember, even though it is her classroom, her student, no one talks back to a law officer!

It would be helpful to know the backstory on this as to how the officer got involved in the first place. Is this child truly a disruptive child who created chaos day in and day out? Or is this officer way out of line by trying to make a point to a special needs child?

My munchkins have been out of school for years. I thought officers in the schools were more of a preventative safety role not escorting little ones to the restroom.

The incident happened in the school vice principal's office, where the boy had been taken because he was having disability related difficulties complying with directives from his teacher. The vice principle called the school resource officer to escort him to the bathroom, after he tried to go by himself. The resource officer then took it upon himself to handcuff the boy, after they got back.

https://www.aclu.org/sites/default/files/field_document/4532_001.pdf

 

[human]

Wow. Power and control issues!

I am speechless

 

[bluesneakers]

I'm still trying to find out whatever became of this case. Searching today turned up this:

ACLU sues KC schools, saying bullied child, 7, was handcuffed for crying

The American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri has filed a lawsuit in federal court on behalf of a Kansas City elementary student it says was handcuffed for crying and screaming in class in April 2014.

Kalyb Primm Wiley was 7 years old, 50 pounds and not yet 4 feet tall when he was handcuffed by a school resource officer after he cried — his yells disrupting his George Melcher Elementary School classroom — and did not comply with the teacher or officer’s commands to stop making noise, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, alleges that Kalyb was teased frequently for a hearing impediment and had been reacting to a bullying incident in the classroom.

[snip]

“Instead of stopping or employing any de-escalation techniques, Defendant Craddock twisted (Kalyb’s) arms and handcuffed ... his arms behind his back, and then led him to the front office in handcuffs,” the lawsuit states.

According to the ACLU, the historical use of questionable uses of restraints against students with disabilities prompted the Department of Education to require states to create policies related to the restraint and seclusion of students in 2009. Missouri statutes were updated to comply with the mandate.

On Thursday, as Kalyb stood before his former school with several reporters in front of him, he was asked what the community could learn from his experience.

The 10-year-old, who says he enjoyed engineering and science-related classes, looked up at the cameras shyly.

“Just don’t handcuff children,” he said quietly. “That’s it.”

So simple.