10 Year Old Arrested for Hugging Counselor

[Anonymous]

I think a suspension is appropriate, followed by a schoolwide training to students, faculty and staff about appropriate physical contact in school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So far, he has been suspended (not expelled) and also not charged. I don’t see an overreaction yet. If it was a “dare” type situation, as several people have suggested, that seems like the spot on correct reaction.

Having worked in schools, it’s very possible the counselor believed the school would not have suspended without her filing a police report.

All that said he should not be charged and I hope police don’t move forward with that.

He was arrested. That makes it an overreaction. She's also pressing charges. Her name hasn't been released, but it will come out and she'll get her 15 minutes of infamy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know what happened but I don’t think the police should have been involved. Charging a 10 year old with battery over this is too much.

The ten year old was NOT charged. It’s probably protocol to call in law enforcement to investigate such accusations so calling was probably not optional or at the school’s discretion.

The counselor’s description makes it sound intentional. She reports her breast was grabbed and also that she had to remove his hand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So far, he has been suspended (not expelled) and also not charged. I don’t see an overreaction yet. If it was a “dare” type situation, as several people have suggested, that seems like the spot on correct reaction.

Having worked in schools, it’s very possible the counselor believed the school would not have suspended without her filing a police report.

All that said he should not be charged and I hope police don’t move forward with that.

He was arrested. That makes it an overreaction. She's also pressing charges. Her name hasn't been released, but it will come out and she'll get her 15 minutes of infamy

He wasn’t arrested. And where did you see that she was pressing charges?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So far, he has been suspended (not expelled) and also not charged. I don’t see an overreaction yet. If it was a “dare” type situation, as several people have suggested, that seems like the spot on correct reaction.

Having worked in schools, it’s very possible the counselor believed the school would not have suspended without her filing a police report.

All that said he should not be charged and I hope police don’t move forward with that.

He was arrested. That makes it an overreaction. She's also pressing charges. Her name hasn't been released, but it will come out and she'll get her 15 minutes of infamy

He wasn’t arrested. And where did you see that she was pressing charges?

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/11/04/florida-volusia-school-employee-criminal-charges-student-hug/8269703001/?gnt-cfr=1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I could totally see this being done on a dare or as a joke. Totally inappropriate and wrong, but not criminal. He’s 10.

I don't think he should go to jail, certainly, but brushing this off as "a joke" is ridiculous. Pre teen boys daring eachother to sexually assault a girl or a woman, and doing it "as a joke", is beyond the pale. Expect better.

[Anonymous]

So lawyer claims racism… sigh. That’s like a get out jail free card

[Anonymous]

The counselor totally overreacted by getting law enforcement involved and having him suspended for 10 days. The counselor has negatively impacted this kid’s life. This counselor should NOT be working in the school system and should be fired.

I really feel for this 10 yr old kid and his family.

[Anonymous]

I definitely remember in 6th grade, the boys would go up behind female teachers and pretend to grab their butts. So I believe a 10 year old could do something like this.

Also possible he’s a problem student and this is one incident in a long string of incidents.

[Anonymous]

I was part way through reading the story and wondered if the child is black & the counselor white. Yep. Says so at the bottom of the article. Hmmm..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So far, he has been suspended (not expelled) and also not charged. I don’t see an overreaction yet. If it was a “dare” type situation, as several people have suggested, that seems like the spot on correct reaction.

Having worked in schools, it’s very possible the counselor believed the school would not have suspended without her filing a police report.

All that said he should not be charged and I hope police don’t move forward with that.

He was arrested. That makes it an overreaction. She's also pressing charges. Her name hasn't been released, but it will come out and she'll get her 15 minutes of infamy

He wasn’t arrested. And where did you see that she was pressing charges?

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/11/04/florida-volusia-school-employee-criminal-charges-student-hug/8269703001/?gnt-cfr=1

Thanks. For a social worker to be pressing charges gives me pause. I don’t typically see social workers overreact.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A 10 year old should be given counseling or detention or a suspension, but not be injected into the criminal justice system based on what has been reported.

When given a chance to state what happened, the 10 year old simply yelled at his teacher and did not deny the validity of the allegation so the more reasonable assumption is that the incident happened as reported. Nevertheless, still no need for police / court / criminal justice involvement.

The police report says the teacher called him up to ask him what happened and he started to yell. He could have been embarrassed (if it were an accident) and yelled when put on the spot by the teacher because he didn’t know how to handle/articulate things as a kid.

Or it could be the counselor’s version was accurate.

Or somewhere in the middle.

I’m not sure anything is a reasonable assumption at this point. I hope the school attempted to interview some witnesses to corroborate this before calling the police at least.

This is my thinking. If it was purposeful the other boys would have seen and or he would have said something when he went back to his seat. I certainly hope witnesses were asked BEFORE criminal charges were filed. Does he have a history of inappropriate touch is another question. If not, it is certainly possible that it was accidental and the call to police is a horrible response.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Fair point to the above. My oldest is 6 so I don’t really have first hand experience with what 10 year olds know/are capable of. I’m viewing this through the eyes of a mom with younger boys who absolutely still love body part/toilet humor and don’t yet understand bodies as having sexual parts.

I hope you have already talked to them about appropriate touching but it sounds like you haven't. They need to know about what is inappropriate behavior from adults as far as their bodies. It is awkward but you have to tell them as their mother.

Well you assume wrong. Of course I’ve talked with them about respecting personal space, how if someone asks us to stop doing something or says no we stop, and that they have the right to make boundaries about their own bodies as well. But they are young kids. Body parts are funny to them and private parts are for bathroom things. I’m not going to project things onto them like an understanding of sexual assault. And no, I’m not going to explain rape to my 4 and 6 year olds who haven’t even learned about sex yet. I think it’s really weird how posters on this site will make huge leaps about what a parent has or has not done based on 2 sentences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/10-year-old-student-hugged-school-counselor-now-facing-charges-accused-rcna56355

This raises some interesting questions. Obviously, there could be more facts here like this is a repeated pattern of behavior that the school cannot speak to. So I’m trying to keep an open mind.

But … the kid is 10. It’s entirely possible he a) accidentally touched her breast during the hug or b) has absolutely no understanding of the gravity of doing so. I’m not saying the counselor should give up her right to bodily autonomy, but it seems like this is a risk of working around kids and perhaps getting the criminal justice system involved is overkill. The racial differences also aren’t good optics.

Let’s say the kid truly is pervy, I don’t think this behavior should be enabled, but maybe a stern lesson could be taught without cops involved?

What says DCUM about this?

I have a 10 yr old and I think this is a really absurd thing to say. 10 year olds are more than able to get not touching breasts. We aren’t talking about toddlers here. My kid’s class is writing novels and designing hypothetical museums out of dioramas. They are well past understanding not to violate bodily autonomy.

I don’t think the kid should be put on trial but your theory on this point is just out to lunch.

Not every kid is taught a boob is a sexual thing at 10. I doubt my kids at 10 thought boob is sexual.

Lol it’s FLA, they specifically have removed talk of anything sexual from curriculum.

Unless he was told once and he did it again it’s absurd.

A boob isn’t a “sexual” thing. But it is something you don’t touch. I am willing to give the counselor the benefit of the doubt that the situation was not an accident or confusion.

Our society sexualizes breasts. So yeah, it’s a sexual thing.

[Anonymous]

10 year old was not arrested for hugging. We use that as the caption.?