Translate

Jun 12, 2007

Reading through the local news I came upon this disturbing little story involving a 4 year old preschooler, and his understandably upset mother. The full story is here, and, if you are like me, when you read it, you are going to be furious.

Evidently, the little boy in question, did something that upset his teachers, and I use the term 'teachers' for lack of a better one, so they ripped his pants off, spanked him, and, when he wet himself, they dressed him in a dress. To punish him. The mother stated she had clothes there for him, a change of clothes. Then they sent him home. And, like all school systems in Virginia, and probably everywhere else in this country by now, they do not feel the need to explain their actions to anyone. WAVYTV-10-on-your-side is pretty good at getting results, but even they can't do much about the school system "wall of silence".

Many moons ago, my son's friend, BW, came home from school with a broken jaw, no calls made to his parents, he just got off the bus, holding his jaw together. After being hospitalized and having his jaw wired shut, and his father was furious, as is this mother, and tried to sue. His lawsuit went nowhere.

Travis came home from kindergarten with a broken collar bone, for Christ's sake. When I went to confront his teacher, and whoever was in shouting distance, she said he had complained about his arm hurting, but it was time for the buses, so she just sent him home. Though I hopped around and said obscene things, it basically boiled down to not being able to prove exactly when the bone was broken. Travis remembered clearly when it was broken, an older kid pushed him against the wall, but, we had insurance, we didn't pursue it. However, now, they knew my name. The superintendant knew my name. I visited his office on a regular basis. He hated my guts. He hated my guts and liver.

Anyway, from my research, the school in question in this article has to be Bowling Park Elementary School, not Bolling. MSNBC.com's proofreader's suck. The phone number is 628-2515, which is also the fax number. The address is 2861 E. Princess Anne Rd., Norfolk, VA 23504. The principal is Mrs. Brenda P. Shepherd.

Michaell Spencer, Chief Operations Officer, may be reached at 628-3930, or by fax at 628-3977. All of this information can be found here. The mission statement for the Norfolk District School System Reads as follows:

"To educate each student to be a successful, productive contributor to society by providing powerful teaching and learning opportunities."

Some how, I get the feeling this little boy is going to have a hard time taking advantage of those opportunities in the future. God, I'm so pissed.


17 comments:

Mary said...

That makes my blood boil. 4 years old! Well I guess it wouldn't make a difference what the age was but wtf?

dawn said...

I am so glad It wasn't mine because I probably would have ended up in jail. Oh thank you for mentioning Joy Fielding I could not for the life of me remember her name. If you want to read a good series reas Kay Hooper. She'writes in 3 book sets about a psycic FBI squad really very good.

Enemy of the Republic said...

I am pissed too. I taught for 8 years in public schools and learned all about how to discipline without shame. And hitting a kid--like Dawn, I would have ended in jail. I don't hit my child, so that means no one else in authority can do so. When he is grown, I won't be able to fight his battles. Oh, I am just sickened. But thank you for bringing this to our attention.

Unknown said...

Honestly physical violence can be better at times but humiliating a child how can someone do that. I am trying to understand how someone who is supposed to teach and care can be so cruel. I don't know what to say.

Anonymous said...

That poor little boy will never forget the indignity of this abusive act by someone in authority.

Besides the dress incident, isn't it illegal for a teacher to spank a child?

Anonymous said...

How sad. And it's just disgusting how school administrators protect horrible teachers instead of doing something about them. It happens everywhere.

Queenie said...

Gosh!, I am so shocked, they would have been in the courts as quick as a flash here in the UK.
I'm just like you I turn into a lioness if anyone hurts my boy, he's 25 next week but I'm still the same!!!!
Thanks for popping over to see me.

Unknown said...

Queenie, so glad you stopped by. And good to see you, SJ, you handsome devil. A lot of people tell me I look like a sheep. HA!

I don't get it either. Spanking is not allowed in schools in this state. Somewhere down the line they went with the New Testamant and sent the old testament flying out the nearest window.

I'm just sending a fax. The school year hear is over today. But God knows how much other shit goes on that doesn't make it into the papers.

SpongyBones said...

Never regret anything said over at my place. You just type right on! I always take things open minded and you are more than welcome to drink over at my place and shoot off with whatever you feel like ... hell I do it ... screw them if they don't like it :)!!!

Besides I need all the help I can get!

Unknown said...

Ah, Spongybones, I think you would be an excellent person to know in real life. Hang in there, babe. I think you are probably a "Magic Man". I'm here for ya, babe.

SpongyBones said...

wooo hooo I see a carpet ride happening!

Scott from Oregon said...

I once held one of my students out of a second story window upside...

I was trying to teach him English and he just kept getting more and more disruptive.

I couldn't ell at him, because I didn't speak in yelling Japanese.

S I hung him out the window and asked him if h wanted to be good.

He said he did.

I brought him back inside.

His parents told me he talked about me all the time, like I was his super hero or something.

I was glad the kid never squealed...

Unknown said...

Spongy, if only you believe like I believe...

Scott, please tell me this was an adult education course...

Anonymous said...

AAAAHAAAAAAAHAHAHA Good one.

Shrink Wrapped Scream said...

I would have removed my kid immediatley, and picketed the school forever until those responsible for their vile acts were held accountable.. that is so peverse and heartbreaking.. I don't want to sound complacent, but Queenie's right, NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS would any teacher in the UK have got away with that.. and those other incidents - broken bones??? How can a kid focus on an education if he's constantly having to watch his back?? If I lived in the States, I'd probably turn into one of those home eduction nuts that I always think are plain weird!

Greg C said...

Been there done that. Our little boy came home one day last year with two broken arms. The teacher thought they were just brused so she was keeping him in class but he kept crying so she sent him home because he was disrupting the class.
It seems he fell off the monkey bars. They let the kids go out and play right after it rained so everything was wet. He said another bullie pushed him but none of the 5 or so teachers on the play ground saw it. It seems they were huddled in the corner talking.

We should have sued. Shortly after this his teacher started sending home "F's" on his writing. Duh, he has two broken arms, Of course his writing is sloppy. We had to have a little chat with the principal and get him in another class. I secretly recorded the conversation, lol

Unknown said...

Greg, 'she sent him home because he was disrupting the class' and then she gave him F's in writing. Oh, just tell me her name. I will keep it quiet, make it look like an accident, and all that good stuff. Bravo, for your secret recording. Damn if I wouldn't have video taped the whole thing.

No, I would have made a complete ass of myself, what with hopping and cussing, and foaming at the mouth.