Police handcuff kindergartner for tantrum

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I'm not saying that at all children with violent tendencies are not entitled to a public education. But no not 100% of them are and that why there are psychologists who make that determination.

They are in fact all entitled to a free and appropriate public education. But whether they are too violent and aggressive to receive that education in the context of a regular public school classroom with other students is a different question. If a child inflicts serious bodily injury on someone at school, they can be placed in an "interim alternative educational setting" for up to 45 days. 20 U.S.C. 1415(k)(1)(G)(i)-(iii). A permanent placement in an alternative setting requires notice, the right to a hearing etc.

I was referring to the bolded item above. I understand they are entitled to a free public education, I did not say anything about the entitement of a free public education in general. I am referring to them being in a public school with other children based on special needs and behaviors. As you quoted there are alternate settings for the appropriate situation.

[Anonymous]

I understand they are entitled to a free public education, I did not say anything about the entitement of a free public education in general.

Perhaps you meant in the context of a regular classroom, but that wasn't what you said. Now that you have clarified what you meant, it makes much more sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I understand they are entitled to a free public education, I did not say anything about the entitement of a free public education in general.

Perhaps you meant in the context of a regular classroom, but that wasn't what you said. Now that you have clarified what you meant, it makes much more sense.

Yes I apologize, I should have been clearer to the context of a regular public classroom. I did not mean for you to have to look up the law, I knew what you were conveying. Its hard to clarify things while typing quickly sometimes.

[Anonymous]

This six year old wasn't having a tantrum she was raging. Even at the age of six it's amazing how much destruction can be done in a full blown out rage.

My DS raged like this once in a public area. He was a danger to himself and to others so I brought him out to the car kicking and screaming. Once we got there I called 9-1-1. There was no way I was going to be able to restrain him while driving home and even the hospital around the corner wasn't an option. DS got in the car, continued his rage, and it took two EMT's, one police officer, and myself to get him out of the car.

MY son wound up spending just more than a week in a mental institution.

I had him in therapy since he was three because I knew something was wrong. It took two years before we got a Bipolar diagnosis and that was after I put BPD out there. It's rare in a child that age.

DS was lucky that he had parents that loved and respected him enough to get him treatment.

[Anonymous]

I think it's obvious such a child should be in special ed/EH, but I thought that people with administrative credentials were supposed to be trained in dealing with outbursts like this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She will no doubt be in foster care soon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Southern bumpkin" again- this kid and her parents need to be glad calling the police was all that happened. When I was kid growing up where she lives, schools still practiced corporal punishment. Principal had a paddle hanging in his office. Set her back 20 some years, she could have gotten the beating of her life in response to this behavior.

Disgusting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This six year old wasn't having a tantrum she was raging. Even at the age of six it's amazing how much destruction can be done in a full blown out rage.

My DS raged like this once in a public area. He was a danger to himself and to others so I brought him out to the car kicking and screaming. Once we got there I called 9-1-1. There was no way I was going to be able to restrain him while driving home and even the hospital around the corner wasn't an option. DS got in the car, continued his rage, and it took two EMT's, one police officer, and myself to get him out of the car.

MY son wound up spending just more than a week in a mental institution.

I had him in therapy since he was three because I knew something was wrong. It took two years before we got a Bipolar diagnosis and that was after I put BPD out there. It's rare in a child that age.

DS was lucky that he had parents that loved and respected him enough to get him treatment.

I have taught elementary school for 15 years and the only child I have ever seen rage like the child in the article (biting the door knob, throwing furniture etc) was also bipolar. It is terrifying for a child to be so out of control and they really cannot help it. The little girl in the article needs a comprehensive psych exam, IMHO.
I hope your son is doing well--bipolar is so tough and isolating for families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it's obvious such a child should be in special ed/EH, but I thought that people with administrative credentials were supposed to be trained in dealing with outbursts like this.

I agree; I am pretty sure in Fairfax elementary school administrators are trained in safe restraint techniques and it is not illegal for school personnel to touch a child, not sure where people upthread are getting that idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Southern bumpkin" again- this kid and her parents need to be glad calling the police was all that happened. When I was kid growing up where she lives, schools still practiced corporal punishment. Principal had a paddle hanging in his office. Set her back 20 some years, she could have gotten the beating of her life in response to this behavior.

Do you know if it was actually used? I thought it was a common small school administrator room decoration...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She will no doubt be in foster care soon.

Why is this shocking to you?

They called the police for violent behavior. No doubt CPS was involved - or WILL BE involved. If the kid continues on this route of destructive (and self-destructive) behavior and if the parents continue to enable and/or ignore these issues she will either drop out (I've seen it happen many, many times) or CPS will do an investigation. It's our legal duty to report cases of abuse.

[Anonymous]

This girl's parents are seeing dollar signs. Lawsuit! Get that money honey! That's why they agreed to do a story. If that were my child, I'd be mortified and depressed. Doing that at age 6. Seems to be NONE of that in this situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Southern bumpkin" again- this kid and her parents need to be glad calling the police was all that happened. When I was kid growing up where she lives, schools still practiced corporal punishment. Principal had a paddle hanging in his office. Set her back 20 some years, she could have gotten the beating of her life in response to this behavior.

Do you know if it was actually used? I thought it was a common small school administrator room decoration...

Oh, it was used. Are you kidding? My husband was taken up to the principal's office once as a 14 year old in the early 80s and the principal said, "Now, T, I'm going to have to use this paddle on you." My husband's parents were pretty influential in their small town and knew the principal personally. My husband looked him in the face and said "Reggie, you will NOT be using that paddle on me or my mother will rain hell down upon you." So he didn't get the paddle that day. That was absolutely not a "decoration" and when I said she'd have gotten the beating of her life had she gone to that same school 20+ years ago I wasn't trying to be disgusting or saying she needed a beating- I was being dead serious. I know of schools up into the 1990s that had paddles in the principals offices.

[Anonymous]

I agreee
children are not monsters. This kid must have been abused or neglected for her to go that wild
A normal school is no place for a kid like that. Something is definitely going on

[Anonymous]

The child could easily be bipolar. I have a friend with a bipolar son who just spent a week in a mental institution. He's in third grade now but his rages have been frightening for several years. His mom has great difficulty restraining him and she is not bound by the same restrictions educators are.

If the child was raging to the point of hurting herself or others, physical restraint was called for. Educators cannot touch our children.

What other choice did they have? It was an emergency situation and the necessary steps were taken to secure the child and prevent harm.

How society treats this child NOW is the true test of what we are, or are not. Do we provide for her mental health needs? Make sure she has access to therapists, medication, special education? Probably not, because that would be socialism. Right?