Recently, I spoke with a relative who teaches elementary school. As we vented about life and the good ol’ country phrase, “if it ain’t one thing then it’s another”, she told me about some discipline issues she was facing in the classroom. She needed the assistance of an administrator as a first grade student started to hit her during class. She expressed her frustration in trying to maintain order in the class while the student was literally freaking out and the administrator slowly made his way to her classroom.
I told her about a post I saw on Twitter from Dr. Brad Johnson (shown below). His posts are geared towards the needs of teachers and how administrators can support teachers both in and out of the classroom.
We gawked over the realness in his words and the necessity for change. But you know what we did not discuss - HAVING THE CHILD ARRESTED! So what the heck is going on in Orlando, Florida where a six year old female student was not only arrested but fingerprinted and booked on a battery charge at a juvenile detention center?!?
Listen Linda. Listen.
As an educator, I can sympathize with a fellow educator who has to endure the meltdown of an elementary student. When little Sarah is screaming at the top of her lungs, flinging her whole body on to the napping mats and almost foaming at the mouth ... you just want to lay down next to her and cry too. But not at the Lucious and Emma Nixon Academy (yes that is the real name of the school and not the newest episode of Empire). Let’s NOT figure out how to remove the student from the situation and offer assistance. Let’s allow the public safety officer to arrest a 6yr old because he is truly in charge of the building. He has been trained in social and emotional learning and knows a long ride in the back of a cop car is what a 6yr old needs. We need to show her and the student body that we will NOT tolerate this kind of behavior from a 6yr old. She’s on the road to being an adult so it’s better now than never, right?
Ladies and gentlemen, do you know what we have here ... foolishness. Grown folks came to the conclusion that a kid who was just wearing diapers and learning to walk needs to be arrested. Who raised you?
I’m not sure if this student wanted a toy, food or a nap but what ended up with was a mugshot and humiliation and THAT is unacceptable.
For the full story check out this link from the Washington Post - https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/09/23/girl-tantrum-orlando-classroom-arrested-battery-school-investigation/