Girl, 5, arrested after outburst at school

StrBrite · 03-21-2005, 15:19

I am totally shocked at some of the ways the school officers as well as the police are handling our children.
Now when I say children I mean babies
Like this 5 year old in this article.

I am not happy about what they put this girl through, there are other ways to teach right from wrong and this is definitly wrong.

Thank goodness this was not my child

I agree the child needed punishment but certainly not this kind

What do you think?

Updated March 18, 2005, 3:38 p.m. ET

Girl, 5, arrested after outburst at school

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — A 5-year-old girl was arrested, cuffed and put in back of a police cruiser after an outburst at school where she threw books and boxes, kicked a teacher in the shins, smashed a candy dish, hit an assistant principal in the stomach and drew on the walls.

The students were counting jelly beans as part of a math exercise at Fairmount Park Elementary School when the little girl began acting silly. That's when her teacher took away her jelly beans, outraging the child.

Minutes later, the 40-pound girl was in the back of a police cruiser, under arrest for battery. Her hands were bound with plastic ties, her ankles in handcuffs. "I don't want to go to jail," she said moments after her arrest Monday.

Story continues

No charges were filed and the girl went home with her mother.

While police say their actions were proper, school officials were not pleased with the outcome.

"We never want to have 5-year-old children arrested," said Michael Bessette, the district's Area III superintendent.

The district's campus police should have been called to help and not local police, he said.

Bessette said campus police routinely deal with children and are trained to calm them in such situations.

Under the district's code of student conduct, students are to be suspended for 10 days and recommended for expulsion for unprovoked attacks, even if they don't result in serious injury. But district spokesman Ron Stone said that rule wouldn't apply to kindergartners.

"She's been appropriately disciplined under the circumstances," he said.

The girl's mother, Inda Akins, said she is consulting an attorney.

"She's never going back to that school," Akins said. "They set my baby up."

*All times ET/PT

kruser79 · 03-21-2005, 15:37

I agree that it was a little over the top to call the police to deal with an unruly kindergardener, but something else has me wondering...

Where did this child learn it's okay to go on a rage like this one? This was not a simple temper tantrum, this was a full blown assault. Most five-year olds will throw themselves on the floor and pout (a worst case scenario, in my eyes), but this one went on and smashed things, kicked and hit people in authority, and went on a defacing tour.

Quote:

The girl's mother, Inda Akins, said she is consulting an attorney.

"She's never going back to that school," Akins said. "They set my baby up."

She may not want to start a lawsuit, you never know what kinds of things your opponent might learn about you.

StrBrite · 03-21-2005, 15:51

I agree that a child this age had to of picked up such behavior somewhere.

I feel bad for the child if this behavior is due to her home. Imagine how it must be if this is the type of things this child witnesses in her home.

If it is brought to a suit I am sure the skeltons of the home will come out.

I believe the police and school officials had an obligation to this child to find out why she is acting out in such a horrible way.

Not to frighten her the way they did. She is a small child for goodness sakes

I would keep my ears and eyes wide open for the childs benifit at her home but I also think the school and police need alittle class on human behavior and childhood development.

Woodmonkey · 03-21-2005, 15:52

I'm with Kruser on this. This kid learned that behavior somewhere and I, too, am betting that this was not the first time for this type of rage at that school.

Quote:

"We never want to have 5-year-old children arrested," said Michael Bessette, the district's Area III superintendent.

The district's campus police should have been called to help and not local police, he said.

Bessette said campus police routinely deal with children and are trained to calm them in such situations.

So ... why didn't they call their campus police instead of the local police? The local police have to follow their procedures. The campus police have more leeway.

Quote:

The girl's mother, Inda Akins, said she is consulting an attorney.

"She's never going back to that school," Akins said. "They set my baby up."

Mama better consult a family counselor to deal with the family dynamics that produced such behavior in this child. Better not wait until she is a teenager out of control. As for setting her baby up ... parents who don't teach proper limits and boundaries to their kids are the ones setting them up. The school clearly mishandled this too, but this should not be a get rich opportunity for the family. They talked about a mother .. is there a father in the picture?

kruser79 · 03-21-2005, 15:58

Now that you mention it, the short snippet we hear from the mother disgusts me. I, for one, see a definate problem in the child's household. The mother is more concerned with "they set my baby up," than she is in finding out why "her baby" acted in such a way.

But I'll reserve judgement until we hear more about this one. The story actually may have a totally different background than the one we're hearing. But dang, those words steam my bean....

drywall · 03-21-2005, 16:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woodmonkey

Mama better consult a family counselor to deal with the family dynamics that produced such behavior in this child. Better not wait until she is a teenager out of control. As for setting her baby up ... parents who don't teach proper limits and boundaries to their kids are the ones setting them up. The school clearly mishandled this too, but this should not be a get rich opportunity for the family. They talked about a mother .. is there a father in the picture?

Very well put Katie, I agree.

satin_patriot · 03-21-2005, 16:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by kruser79

Now that you mention it, the short snippet we hear from the mother disgusts me. I, for one, see a definate problem in the child's household. The mother is more concerned with "they set my baby up," than she is in finding out why "her baby" acted in such a way.

But I'll reserve judgement until we hear more about this one. The story actually may have a totally different background than the one we're hearing. But dang, those words steam my bean....

I'm with you.