MC police pick up ESS 5 year old; harass & assault him

[Anonymous]

Among other things, this situation clearly illustrates the need for additional police training, particularly on how to respond to trauma/crisis situations involving children. I agree with PP that “defund the police” is not the correct terminology, the idea of allocating more resources towards mental and emotional health is vital.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Among other things, this situation clearly illustrates the need for additional police training, particularly on how to respond to trauma/crisis situations involving children. I agree with PP that “defund the police” is not the correct terminology, the idea of allocating more resources towards mental and emotional health is vital.

The behavior depicted in this video is not going to be trained out of these cops. They are committed to it. They may learn to hide it more effectively, but they will keep doing things like it. They need to be fired.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, why are these police officers sitting around school for an hour lecturing this mother on how to raise her kid? Is that a good use of their time, when they have no training in child development or parenting skills? Is that what we are paying them for? It’s like they decided they’d rather sit around and act superior to this mom for an hour than do their job as LEO. They both act like they are going to win the Nobel prize in child rearing.

Agree, once mom arrived, situation resolved, they leave. They don't discuss the child's need. Mom is equally to blame but the cops were terrible.

Mom was saying whatever it would take to avoid getting arrested or her kid sent to CPS/juvenile detention. She said exactly what these twisted cops wanted to hear and gave parroted back to them. This will be her defense.

They need to be dumped from the force for being morons and completely devoid of empathy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I haven't posted in this thread yet, but PP, you're wrong. The crisis center has nothing to do with ongoing mental health services. I'm a school counselor and there are waiting lists of a YEAR for decent therapists who take insurance w. It's hard for kids whose families can pay to get in to see a child therapist these days, there's such a shortage. Schools need more licensed social workers and licensed counselors to plug that gap. I'm a school counselor and am acutely aware of the need to help parents like this one. I'm disgusted that the school didn't protect this little boy.

+1. The crisis center is just that- for one time crises. Of course I have kids who end up using the crisis center far too often bc they can’t get the ongoing support but it’s not made for that.

The crisis center can do brief temporary therapy, they have a psychiatrist on call and can assist families with getting into long term therapy. This child is in crisis. And, because school counselors are not aware of the resources out there, they fail these kids by not getting them the help they need. It doesn't take years to get a child a therapist. It just takes calling around and looking and there are clinics that you don't need insurance. The issue is the school staff who are supposed to be helping aren't given the proper support AND MOM is in denial about the issues which are partly her. This mother is equally to blame for that video as she was behaving the same way and should have walked out with the child vs. continued. The school staff should have redirected the conversation as they said at the end a meeting is scheduled for tomorrow. They should have talked to the mom and when the mom calmed down in a very firm voice ask the chid if he knew why he was in trouble. Then they should have told the child in a firm voice that his behavior today - hitting a teacher, hitting kids, throwing things, breaking school property was not acceptable. Tell him the consequence is that he is suspended (which he was at the end) and explain that the school has a responsibility to keep everyone safe, including him. And, provide the mom with resources - mental health services (find willing therapists), help her set up an evaluation if she has insurance and set up an MCPS evaluation, help her find a feeding therapist and more. Really, its not that hard. I've done it many times. And, if the child's behavior is that out of control, he may need to be hospitalized/assessed at Children's Hospital overnight for a few days inpatient. I head a lot of excuses like I see with this school counselor and no real help.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:The boy needs help, therapy, like what mom said. The cops and mom were all using the same language and come from the same culture.

Mom is scared of spanking b/c CPS. This video is insane.

Totally insane. It was so dehumanizing for that child. But why is the family filing a lawsuit when the mom was just as big of a creep as the cops?

Money. I think mom set it up so she could sue.

Mom is just as complicit. Her only reason for not beating her child is fear of going to jail or losing her child to the system. Otherwise, she’s okay with it?

Did the school previously report her to CPS?

Yes, it sounds like she had reports. Mom needs parenting help.

I hope if anything comes from this video is that MANY kids have needs outside of a parent scope and MANY families have needs that they can not financially receive. Lower class or struggling middle class do not have medical insurance. Do not have the money. Do not have the time. Many are truly single parents (no dropping off with other parent on weekends etc...) and many parents have untreated mental health issues as well.

It is just so sad that the top 1% of our society are so disgusting, controlling, and selfish that wages are so low for others. That our government can not see that basic health care and helping people out of poverty are human rights. We look at other countries with severe poverty and controlling governments and think our country has freedom. It is a joke. We are puppets.

Mom talked about spending money like wild fire with Disney and other trips, tons of toys and more. If they are low income they'd qualify for medicaid or other state run health care programs for kids. And, there are free mental health clinics as well. She doesn't want to get her child help.

You’re clueless. I’m not excusing her behavior but it’s very, very difficult to get ongoing mental health services that take insurance. It’s a crisis, honestly.

This exactly. You would be shocked how much I spend out of pocket for mental health care for my SN kid and I have great insurance. $5k along for parent training and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

correct. the kind of therapy this kid needs is not covered by insurance or has a very long wait list. but let’s also blame the school - they clearly are not addressing the factors that led to eloping.

Not correct. The county and non-profits have free mental health services. The Mom is to blame for not getting help and inflexible about her parenting. Police, well that's a given, and the school...they all need to be held accountable. The police officers should be fired. They were downright cruel to the child and what if he was being abused at school, how they initially spoke to him would put him on the defensive and he wouldn't tell them. I have no issue with a police officer calmly picking up a child and carrying them back to school and waiting for the mom. But, screaming at him, shoving him in a police car without a car seat, all a no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Among other things, this situation clearly illustrates the need for additional police training, particularly on how to respond to trauma/crisis situations involving children. I agree with PP that “defund the police” is not the correct terminology, the idea of allocating more resources towards mental and emotional health is vital.

They need a mobile child unit to help with these things. This child had a school counselor and others at the school whose job it was to help with the mental and emotional part. There were several school staff and not one took the time to get down on that child's level, help him calm down with breathing exercises or just calm talking and talk him through what was happening. School staff was mad, angry and frustrated and gave up. Mom and the police officers were inappropriate. None were really abusive in that sense but all crossed the line. No wonder the kid acts this way. This is the example he's shown. Mom was completely flipping off. Police officers were showing off. The child didn't resist returning to school when someone took his hand. He was scared. What's going on at that school where he keeps eloping and is scared and acting that way? Is he hungry (mom says he doesn't eat), is he tired, is he struggling with academics because he has a learning disorder, mental health issues....

[Anonymous]

Here are just some of the resources available for anyone who needs it. There are several programs listed that work on a sliding fee or insurance and many more programs out there.

https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/HHS-Program/Resources/Files/A%26D%20Docs/DND/DNDMentalHealth.pdf

School counselor. Make a resource packet for families to have available when you meet with families printed including mental health, housing (HOC website), food resources and more. Several good guidebooks like this available. Then, you just need to highlight the ones the family needs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That poor little boy. Those cops should absolutely be fired and I do fault the school staff as well. I’m an educator and while I admit I get frustrated with certain kids this would not fly in my school. And mom doesn’t seem all that fit either. That little boy needs love and more support.

Totally agree. This boy has been failed by so many adults in his life. If his family gets a settlement the money should have to be used to solely provide for this little boys educational (private special nerds school) and mental health needs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here are just some of the resources available for anyone who needs it. There are several programs listed that work on a sliding fee or insurance and many more programs out there.

https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/HHS-Program/Resources/Files/A%26D%20Docs/DND/DNDMentalHealth.pdf

School counselor. Make a resource packet for families to have available when you meet with families printed including mental health, housing (HOC website), food resources and more. Several good guidebooks like this available. Then, you just need to highlight the ones the family needs.

I work in a different district and all the free services have miles long waitlists. I think you’re very naive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree, once the child was returned to school, it was no longer a police matter. This was a five year old boy.

Watching the video made me sick. How could police behave in that manner to a child? The police officers should be fired and training on basic human decency skills for how to work with members of the community.

Then there were the MCPS employees. Why they didn’t step in and help the child? Why didn’t they ask the police to leave? Disgusting.

Finally, as a mom, I have sympathy for the child’s mom given the situation. She was called to the school because her child ran away from the school staff who was supposed to be watching him only to become the one interrogated by the police. She clearly seemed overwhelmed. The school system should be working with her, the boy, and the school staff to come up with strategies to deescalate when he looses control. Bring in a specialist in behavioral intervention strategies.

I hope the boy gets the help that he needs. For police to threaten and yell at him like that probably was very traumatizing.

Unfortunately, once police get involved, it's hard to get them to let go. And given how these police acted, I'm not sure I'd want to get on their wrong side either. We have a policing issue in this country. "Defund the police" is the wrong slogan, but something fundamental needs to change.

This is why I don't fault the school staff in the moment. Challenging a riled up cop does not usually end well. Maybe a supervisor could have helped. How may people here would have the presence of mind to call 911 on the cops in the moment? I would like to know whether the staff reported the abusive conduct after the fact.

The MCPD has a lot of problems. One of them is contempt for the public. Another is an inability to dismiss officers whose behavior makes clear that they have suitability issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree, once the child was returned to school, it was no longer a police matter. This was a five year old boy.

Watching the video made me sick. How could police behave in that manner to a child? The police officers should be fired and training on basic human decency skills for how to work with members of the community.

Then there were the MCPS employees. Why they didn’t step in and help the child? Why didn’t they ask the police to leave? Disgusting.

Finally, as a mom, I have sympathy for the child’s mom given the situation. She was called to the school because her child ran away from the school staff who was supposed to be watching him only to become the one interrogated by the police. She clearly seemed overwhelmed. The school system should be working with her, the boy, and the school staff to come up with strategies to deescalate when he looses control. Bring in a specialist in behavioral intervention strategies.

I hope the boy gets the help that he needs. For police to threaten and yell at him like that probably was very traumatizing.

Unfortunately, once police get involved, it's hard to get them to let go. And given how these police acted, I'm not sure I'd want to get on their wrong side either. We have a policing issue in this country. "Defund the police" is the wrong slogan, but something fundamental needs to change.

This is why I don't fault the school staff in the moment. Challenging a riled up cop does not usually end well. Maybe a supervisor could have helped. How may people here would have the presence of mind to call 911 on the cops in the moment? I would like to know whether the staff reported the abusive conduct after the fact.

The MCPD has a lot of problems. One of them is contempt for the public. Another is an inability to dismiss officers whose behavior makes clear that they have suitability issues.

You don't call the cops on the cops. You just tell the cops when the mom arrived and spoke to her briefly, thanks, we got it from here. You don't give them a conference room and let them have a jab fest. When you say it was unproductive, say thank you. Its time to wrap this up and for Larlo and Mom to leave. And, the school staff could have been working with the child to deescalate him. Get down on his level and have him do breathing and help him calm down. He wasn't able to calm down and communicate his needs. So, yelling and threatening him and all that is only going to escalate him, not calm him down and talk to him about his behavior. If the police were appropriate, for them to talk to him about safety, walking out he could get hit by a car, someone take him in a very calm firm way, that's ok. Their behavior and Mom's was not ok and why this child is struggling. Not one person took the time to talk to that child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here are just some of the resources available for anyone who needs it. There are several programs listed that work on a sliding fee or insurance and many more programs out there.

https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/HHS-Program/Resources/Files/A%26D%20Docs/DND/DNDMentalHealth.pdf

School counselor. Make a resource packet for families to have available when you meet with families printed including mental health, housing (HOC website), food resources and more. Several good guidebooks like this available. Then, you just need to highlight the ones the family needs.

I work in a different district and all the free services have miles long waitlists. I think you’re very naive.

No, I'm not. Done it many times. For specific needs, you can get families bumped to the head or places like the crisis center can. Or, if this child is that out of control, you take him to Children's as he's a threat to others and they can get supports in place and what ever he needs. Children's has a children's psych ward.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Among other things, this situation clearly illustrates the need for additional police training, particularly on how to respond to trauma/crisis situations involving children. I agree with PP that “defund the police” is not the correct terminology, the idea of allocating more resources towards mental and emotional health is vital.

They need a mobile child unit to help with these things. This child had a school counselor and others at the school whose job it was to help with the mental and emotional part. There were several school staff and not one took the time to get down on that child's level, help him calm down with breathing exercises or just calm talking and talk him through what was happening. School staff was mad, angry and frustrated and gave up. Mom and the police officers were inappropriate. None were really abusive in that sense but all crossed the line. No wonder the kid acts this way. This is the example he's shown. Mom was completely flipping off. Police officers were showing off. The child didn't resist returning to school when someone took his hand. He was scared. What's going on at that school where he keeps eloping and is scared and acting that way? Is he hungry (mom says he doesn't eat), is he tired, is he struggling with academics because he has a learning disorder, mental health issues....

There is a mobile crisis unit at the Crisis Center. MCPS should have their own for school issues but again, that is what the crisis center is for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bye bye SROs.

Easy answer.., no police SROs in school... replace them with trained psychologists!

They also need behavioral specialists who are trained to support children with emotional/behavioral difficulties, autism spectrum disorders, etc. Even though they're very young, some children can display very challenging behaviors.

Absolutely. It is probably useful to note that ESS, as a Focus school but not a Title I school, has the exact same mental health allocation as a non-Focus school. So you have one school counselor for 500 kids, and if she's out of the building or dealing with another crisis, tough nuts. I'd love to see a LCSW in every single MCPS school but we could start with schools that baaarely miss the cutoff for Title I.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here are just some of the resources available for anyone who needs it. There are several programs listed that work on a sliding fee or insurance and many more programs out there.

https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/HHS-Program/Resources/Files/A%26D%20Docs/DND/DNDMentalHealth.pdf

School counselor. Make a resource packet for families to have available when you meet with families printed including mental health, housing (HOC website), food resources and more. Several good guidebooks like this available. Then, you just need to highlight the ones the family needs.

I work in a different district and all the free services have miles long waitlists. I think you’re very naive.

No, I'm not. Done it many times. For specific needs, you can get families bumped to the head or places like the crisis center can. Or, if this child is that out of control, you take him to Children's as he's a threat to others and they can get supports in place and what ever he needs. Children's has a children's psych ward.

Well then do your magic for this child because he most likely has autism and needs special education services.
Jack Smith will say sfu to parents who want their child to receive special education services and sue their asses
if they actually are awarded services in court. Yes, Jack Smith sues parents who have a child that is entitled to services
as determined by a court.

What magic do you have to fix Jack Smith?