The problem is that school personnel are not allowed to physically restrain a child without opening themselves up to lawsuits. While I think the reaction was over the top on one hand, on the other hand, what were they supposed to do? The child was out of control and could have hurt herself and others. I was in a similar situation (at a summer camp, not a school) and called 911. I'm sure many people would think we were being ridiculous, but we simply weren't equipped to handle the situation, and the parents were too far away to do anything. It wasn't to be punitive-- I was afraid for the child's safety.

i'm cool with it too

Anonymous wrote:
"A 6-year-old in kindergarten?" Earnest Johnson, the father of Salecia Johnson, told WMAZ-TV. "They have no business calling the police and handcuffing my child."

According to MSNBC, the girl was placed in a holding cell after the altercation, which took place inside the principal's office at Creekside Elementary School in Milledgeville, Ga. The principal said the girl was trying to get out of her office by biting the door knob and trying to break a glass frame, which lead to furniture throwing.

Sorry, sir, but you're freakin' nuts.

Your child has no business trying to break a glass frame and throwing furniture.

Unless this was a school for kids with emotional/developmental issues - that is not what a normal 6 yo should be doing. How about, as a father, you take some responsibility for your child's behavior? Otherwise, by standing up for her, you're simply teaching her that it was okay to behave the way she did.

More on the story

A Georgia kindergartener ended up in handcuffs after allegedly throwing furniture, tearing items from the walls and pushing over a shelf that hit her principal during a tantrum.

School officials maintain back up was their only option during the child's fit, but her parents say the decision is an outrage.

"A 6-year-old in kindergarten?" Earnest Johnson, the father of Salecia Johnson, told WMAZ-TV. "They have no business calling the police and handcuffing my child."

According to MSNBC, the girl was placed in a holding cell after the altercation, which took place inside the principal's office at Creekside Elementary School in Milledgeville, Ga. The principal said the girl was trying to get out of her office by biting the door knob and trying to break a glass frame, which lead to furniture throwing.

"Our policy states that any detainee transported to our station in a patrol vehicle is to be handcuffed in the back. There is no age discrimination on that rule," Police Chief Dray Swicord told the TV station.

Police say they attempted to contact the girl's mother by phone six times during the incident. The girl will not have to go to court, but has been suspended from school.

Anonymous wrote:No way they would have done that to a 6 year old WHITE girl.

Sorry but on this one you are wrong.

Anonymous wrote:It's not the handcuffing it's the taking to jail that is so crazy.

They kept calling the mother. Six times no answer. And she was doing a surprising amount of damage at school.

Anonymous wrote:
The school is supposed to deal with kids' behavior. Schools have always dealt with kids. Why call the police is the question?

Actually, I'd argue that the school is there to educate kids. It's a parent's job to teach the child how to behave in school. If there were no developmental issues and she was just being a brat, then by age 6, she should know that it's not okay to throw around furniture.

At this point all we have is the school's report on the child's behavior.

Anonymous wrote:No way they would have done that to a 6 year old WHITE girl.

They called the cops on my friend's WHITE son when he was acting up in K.

So, uh yeah . . . they HAVE DONE THAT to a white kid before.

She will no doubt be in foster care soon.

I'm OK with what the school and police did. If it was my own child, I think that would have been the best option since it also restrains the child from hurting him/herself.

Anonymous wrote:Shame on this town and shame on you people.

Always its okay when it's a minority child. Oh yes, she's a criminal.

Absolutely disgusting. SHE'S A PRESCHOOLER.

She's an irrational, destructive, uncontrollable preschooler. What do you expect them to do? Tell me how you stop such a tantrum that includes destruction of physical property such as throwing furniture. What would you have done to stop a child from throwing furniture and pushing a shelf onto the principle? What would you have done if the child struck you? Parents cry foul if anyone lays a hand on their children so you cannot physical stop the tantrum; so what do you do? With schools already having huge slashes to their budgets, the public schools cannot pander to emotionally unstable children.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No way they would have done that to a 6 year old WHITE girl.

Oh, give it a rest. This has nothing to do with race, and everything to do with obnoxious behavior.

What, she gets a pass to throw things because she's a minority? So, minorities are held to a lower level of behavior? Honestly, I'm a minority, and that sounds even worse to me.

I don't care what color the girl is. She could very easily have been a danger to the other kids, and the school acted appropriately.

The most sane post yet, thank you and I agree with you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No way they would have done that to a 6 year old WHITE girl.

Oh, give it a rest. This has nothing to do with race, and everything to do with obnoxious behavior.

What, she gets a pass to throw things because she's a minority? So, minorities are held to a lower level of behavior? Honestly, I'm a minority, and that sounds even worse to me.

I don't care what color the girl is. She could very easily have been a danger to the other kids, and the school acted appropriately.

Who the hell is suggesting she get a pass? The school is supposed to deal with kids' behavior. Schools have always dealt with kids. Why call the police is the question?

I think they did the best thing in the situation. The school had to protect staff and other students. Out of control students (whatever the reason - undisciplined or special needs) can be dangerous (I say this as a parent of a child with special needs who can behave this way due to his disability).

Sounds like she is in general education. I don't think gen ed teachers get training in restraint. Restraint, if done improperly, can injure a child. Special ed teachers are trained in proper and safe restraint.