The boy was allegedly restrained after refusing to take a nap and wash his hands.
Harold Irving, the child's father, is a retired police officer.
Irving told Chicago Sun-Times reporter Mary Mitchell, seeing his 4-year-old son tied up like a common criminal left him "stunned".
When Irving spoke to the school's vice principal, who was allegedly involved in duct tapping his son's hands, he was reportedly told he needed to teach his son to follow orders and that "this is how it ends up with kids getting guns.”
Irving responded by asking the vice principal "if that's what she thought of little black kids".
The pissed off retired cop contacted the police and the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS).
Here are my two cents. Unless a child is harming himself or poses a real danger to others, no one, especially school employees, should ever get physical with a child.
If the boy refuses to wash his hands and take a nap, it's not the end of the world. The teacher should have calmly explained why he needed to follow her instructions. If reasoning fails, divert his attention with a book or an alternate activity and call his parents. Any disciple of a physical nature should be left up the student's guardians.
Furthermore, in my infinite wisdom (Go ahead and laugh!), I also feel the father may have overreacted by putting a racial spin on this situation. I don't think the vice principal and teacher's aide (allegedly) involved in this foolishness, duct tapped the boy's hands because they're racist. I think they did it because they are incompetent.
You can read Mary Mitchell's entire article by clicking HERE.
This is just bull to do this to a child. I hope the person who did this gets fired and is not allowed to work around children again!
ReplyDeletetowanda, I walked away from Mitchell's article wondering what questionable acts of punishment this school's staff members have engaged in.
ReplyDeleteI disagree. If the child is out of control and swinging, yelling and hitting staff members, I don't think their actions were unreasonable. They didn't duck tape him to a chair and duck tape his mouth shut. They simply taped the sleeves of his shirt so that he could not hit anyone else. It's easy to sit in an armchair and say, "They should have calmly explained why he needed to follow her instructions."
ReplyDeleteAs far as making this a racial issue... That's preposterous!! This is a very diverse school and the only thing that is not tolerated is children who don't have home training. Set rules at home and your child will follow them at school. Don't.. and you get THIS!! Sure, they shouldn't have used duck tape... not because it unreasonable, because it is not, but because of THIS. A media frenzy over something that IS NOT news worthy. Let's just hope this isn't followed up by lawsuits. This is a great school, let it thrive.
bross2, I'd bet my life's savings that child became physical when the staff became physical.
ReplyDeleteHow would like it if someone tied you up every time you didn't do as you were told? If someone tried to duct tapped your wrists and fingers, you'd swat at them, too.
But you were right about one thing... it was very easy for me to say the teacher should have remained calm. That's because I am a rational person who has never mistaken child abuse for constructive discipline.
Any particular reason why the staff didn't call the kids parents IF he was being so disruptive? What about sending the kid to the principle's office? There are many other alternatives other than "duct tape". And you're right, I've said it 100's of times, IT STARTS AT HOME!
ReplyDelete