First-Graders Handcuffed, Told They Were Going To Prison

[Forevermah]

   How in the world can someone do this to 1st Graders, this story just makes you wonder what some adults are thinking!      While I realize some kids are out of control, it's 1st Grade ...   The parents should have been called to pick up their child and let them deal with the problem and not allowed back in until the kids had it straight .. parents needs to take more responsibility in all this too !!!





First-Graders Handcuffed, Told They Were Going To Prison


CHICAGO (CBS) — Multiple students were handcuffed at a Far South Side elementary school and were told they were going to prison, according to a published report.

As WBBM Newsradio’s Bernie Tafoya reports, Michael Carin, the attorney for parent LaShanda Smith, said in an e-mail to the Chicago Tribune that school officials at Carver Primary School, at 901 E. 133rd Pl. in the Chicago Housing Authority’s Altgeld Gardens development, hired an on-campus security guard last year to discipline some disruptive first-graders.



Carin told the Tribune that the security officer took students out of class and held them in an office with no other adults present, where they were handcuffed. The guard told the children were told they were going to prison and would never see their parents again, the attorney told the newspaper.

Smith’s lawsuit made headlines Tuesday, as her first-grade son was allegedly one of the children who was handcuffed.

The Tribune reported the security guard handcuffed Smith’s son and left his arms locked – for one full hour, the Tribune reported.

Carin claims the school system has ignored his attempts to address the situation, the Tribune reported.

Smith is seeking more than $100,000 in damages. CPS officials declined to comment to the Tribune on the lawsuit.

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2011/08/31/report-multiple-first-graders-handcuffed-told-they-were-going-to-prison/

[jenplus2]

WHAT THE??? I can't even begin to comprehend this!! I'm just completely dumbfounded. 1st graders are only 6 years old!! OMG!

[Bobsgirl17]

I am speechless...

[jcruz1104]

 
unbelieveable!!!
my oldest son had problems in 1st grade and spent the last month of school, being home schooled. He was disruptive. and he would get carried away. they had the police there but called my husband and I.... Well after I pushed the issues there is something more, there was.. We had testing learning and emotional problems were found. He was placed in a special Ed class for about 2 yr, and now in 6th grade, out of ALL special ed classes and doing great maintaing  A's & B's

I think its soo messed up that the schools are so quick to push children aside, and scare them or just mark them as trouble with out finding a reason why. so many people set up our kids to fail...

 

[jenplus2]

Still in disbelief! Was this "wanna be cop" reprimanded? Absolutely ridiculous.

[jdmlt]

This just amazes me...I hate to say that the school systems are getting out of control. I was a school bus driver for 2 different districts at one time and I couldn't stand the arrogance of some of the teachers & officials. But on the other hand I didn't like some of the parents either.  It's a hard situation but this was NOT the answer.

[jenplus2]

I'd be the 1st to say I couldn't handle being in a room w/30+ kids. It takes VERY special people for those positions... This IDIOT is NOT one of those people. I hope he was handed his ass!!

[Forevermah]

The reason, IMHO that is keeps getting harder, is because parents think the schools are in charge of their kids, to teach them everything.  People/parents need to realize it all starts at home and if you didn't do your job in their early years, how the hell are the teachers suppose to do theirs, sorry I come from the school of hard knocks, where we actually took the time with our children, like our parents did with us..  I am not saying all parents are like this, but many are.  If people don't want to take the time, don't have them in the first place! 

This is a real touchy subject with me, can you tell      I've seen way too much in my lifetime and it's the children who always suffer!!!

[leighanns520]

All I can say is OH HELL NO!!!!!!!

[eb2008]

I agree with Mah, its funny but then again it kinda not. Most "parents" these days rely heavily on the teachers to do their jobs when all the teachers should have to do is enhance what the parents should have been teaching their kid(s)... All in all they were wrong for handcuffing babies & telling them they were going to prison

[mamacita1]

I don't know about CPS, but I can tell you that it has become increasingly difficult to get a child into special programs that could handle children with behavioral, emotional, physiological and academic difficulties.  Simply put:  it costs too much money to evaluate and educate them under these special programs.

So far, I have 37 students in the 5th grade that are in the "inner city" - 12 of them only read at the 1st grade level.  You can imagine that these 12 students have now become behavioral problems.  I called one parent today, only to learn she's been in and out of prison, is a drug addict, and doing the best she can! 

I am wondering when my next vacation starts - lol.

[rottiemama2003]

The reason, IMHO that is keeps getting harder, is because parents think the schools are in charge of their kids, to teach them everything.  People/parents need to realize it all starts at home and if you didn't do your job in their early years, how the hell are the teachers suppose to do theirs, sorry I come from the school of hard knocks, where we actually took the time with our children, like our parents did with us..  I am not saying all parents are like this, but many are.  If people don't want to take the time, don't have them in the first place! 

This is a real touchy subject with me, can you tell      I've seen way too much in my lifetime and it's the children who always suffer!!!

i must agree. It is bad when teachers a teaching please and thank you, that should come to school with. It make me sick when parent say I can't wait until you go to school so they can straighten you out.. I'm like What!! what happen to being a parent.

[jenplus2]

My daughter (11) came home yesterday & said there was a bad fight on the bus (blood & all, scared her to death) & that the principal told the 2 boys they were going to jail for 10 days & their parents would have to pay to get them out. Maybe the...


Teachers/principals/caretakers dont' know what else to do? I told my daughter it was probably a scare tactic, but nowadays, fighting gets turned over to the police. I'm so scared of what Our youth are turning in to. It worries me to no end.

[rottiemama2003]

It is sad that they don't know how to solve differences any other way.... everything around them are so violent, look at everything that makes money is violent and so many of  us responsible adult set what example, and we as parents let some one else set the standards in your home, if there are any at all. just had this conversation with a patient last night... in Granite

[Forevermah]

Rottie you are so right, everything around these kids is violent, look at TV, video games, the NEWS!    Parents need to be more pro-active in allowing some of the garbage in these kids * daily* lives.  

 Many parents now days, are too busy to even know what their kids are into, they can't be bothered and leave the raising of their children to others and then bitch and moan when their kids do something and say, No, not my kid!    

Going back to this story, I just don't know how this got so out of hand for a security guard to have to take a child into an office and handcuff them to behave.  Were the parents called beforehand? did THEY get involved in correcting their child's behavior?  was this out of the blue, how long had it been going on in the classroom?  I would love to know more facts and see just how much the parents were involved to correct this problem before it came down to handcuffs and talk of prison and now a lawsuit against the schools.    

[rottiemama2003]

Something similar to this happen a few years ago... and the parent had been called and did not show up..It was on the news... cant remember when..I have seen some children that violent  before, a little one about that age in walmart. Soo out of control, I feel for the child, it is in so much emotional pain

[mamacita1]

Mah - you're correct - a security guard is not equipped to handle children.  Further, it is illegal to physically restrain a child, unless the child is causing harm to themselves.  Only trained personnel can physically restrain them and an uncertified security guard is certainly not trained! A winning lawsuit is on the horizon and both the principal and security guard's position is definately at risk. 

I have seen a kindergarten child, whose father is an elected official, bite and attack both students and teachers.  The child is autistic, but the parents insist that he be mainstreamed in a regular classroom.  The truth is that the child IS learning, so he is deemed ineligible for special services and everyone who is in the child's classroom is expected to deal with him.

jenplus - when a violent offense occurs to or from school, criminal charges are filed.  More than likely, the boys will be suspended by the school.  The boys and their parents will have to go to court, where, depending on the county, can face fines, suspended sentences, and may even head towards "juvi".

With increased cuts in schools, there are fewer personnel available to be "pro-active".  Now more than ever, it is important for parents to be involved in raising their children with good manners, accepting responsibility, overseeing homework, being good citizens, etc...

[Forevermah]

Mama, I can only imagine what you endure, dealing with all this on a daily basis.  I give you and anyone else that is involved with the children/parents/school all the credit for the job you do.  I know, I could not do it.

[jenplus2]

I worked/work so hard to instill right & wrong in my girls. My eldest has graduated & a wonderful asset to society. My youngest? She's a wonderful child with manners & a conscience. I'm scared To Death of outside influences.

[jenplus2]

Mah, I couldn't agree more! I've always said K-12 Teachers should be the absolute highest paying profession! They transform our future... My utmost respect to all of them.

[chantygirl]

I totally agree with Mah as well.  I don't have any children, but, by golly I can see what others are raisin!  I had old school parents.  There was no "time out."  There were spankings.  They didn't kill me, didn't make me fear my parents, and I'm pretty sure I'm normal (on some days lol).  That's (in my opinion) what's missing!  Children have no discipline.  They don't ever see consequences when they misbehave, so they get the attitude of "I can do whatever I want."  No way should handcuffs have been used, but, I don't think it would have been a bad idea to have a cop drive them home for the day (with them riding in the backseat).  Well, of course call the parents to make sure someone is home first, and explain the situation.  That woulda scared the snot outta me when I was 7 lol.  But, parents need to do the parenting, or bring back spanking in school!  I STILL remember being spanked in 1st grade.  I don't recall acting out after that!

[rottiemama2003]

Every new school year my heart goes out to teachers... You have a huge heart for giving, not only do you deal with the things in the school and fight the budget to stretch it far enough for the good resources for your student, not having a weekend of fun because you have papers to grade among other things..I just hope this young get what he needs. My heart goes out him..always remember better days are coming.

[jenplus2]

I think spanking is a personal preference. I didn't/don't spank my children & they're great kids. There are plenty other ways to discipline & teach children... hitting doesn't have to be one of them. JMHO

[bmonska]

That's my thinking also Jen. Hubby is from the spanking era though as his dad took a belt to them when they were in trouble. At the same time, my parents raised two girls and his parents raised 2 boys and a girl. I'm pretty sure his sister got spanked also. So to him, spanking is normal. If done correctly I think it can certainly work but the way some parents do it these days, hitting instead of an actual spanking, it's not teaching them anything but violence begets violence.

It really bothers me that this article said the kid was handcuffed and left alone for an hour. That's what cops to do to people being interrogated, not what you to do a child who caused a little trouble. There is NO way I would allow my child's school to physically restrain my child unless he was harming himself or others and they called me first. This is just incredible.

[rottiemama2003]

I was raised in an era when you got your butt beat... my oldest children were raised in Dr Spock time, the younger ones arrrived during you go to jail if you spank your child... I agree with many about that is a personal choice.Any means of discipline if not applied properly is bad, for parent and child. But with this situation it was deeper that we all know... did any one find out if this child had be abused in any way ?  Time it is more that meets the eye, I believe this is one of them...Why was this child so flustrated?

[irish45mj]

I didn't really spank my son, swatted his hand away from stuff that was dangerous, but found other things actually worked better. He hated the color yellow, so for a long time all I had to do was mention yellow socks I was going to make him wear, and he straightened right up!  Did it at the grocery store one day, and a lady asked me what I did to him with the yellow socks, like I put a bar of soap in there and beat him, or something. Had to explain that all I did was make him WEAR them. Later it was removing him from social situations, and later still...NO ELECTRONICS.  A few days without video games, phone or iPod works wonders!

Even though I didnt spank him, I'm pretty sure he still, at 17, isn't positive that I won't.   

[rottiemama2003]

My sister-in-law would take away the contacts and make her daughter wear her glasses that worked every time, teenagers