Tell me what you really think.
I think I remember you were but where was I?
I agree, the child was obviously out of control and any "discipline" her mother was using wasn't effective. It's not like the police maced her! Honestly, if it were my child, I'd like to be notified first, and I would then ask the police officers to "arrest" him (or her, cuz Lord knows my daughter may be a troublemaker sometimes!). My dad is an officer, and sometimes the best thing for kids who are having trouble behaving properly is to show them what can happen.
I agree the child needed to be controled. I just disagree on the method used. Handcuffs hurt, even for an adult.
-G
Mamacita (giggles a little because I soooo love saying that name in my head) I think they should make juvi handcuffs, further, I have one or two kids that I would be willing to donate for experimental purposes, they aren't mine, but I know them, so I figure that counts.
I'm so torn on this as you saw. I think 5 is such a young age...and I'm sure there was much more going on that we didn't see. For example, where were all the rest of the kids in classroom when the video was rolling, and who thought to take video of the police handcuffing the little girl to begin with? And where the HELL was the mother? As a teacher you know that most of this starts with the home. It just makes me really sad that it has come to this. I say if it were my kid, I'd be sueing the crap out of someone...but you know what? It wouldn't be my kid. I'm a good parent despite my faults and my child would not be in that situation.
Sorry, it's my whole save the world thing. Handcuffs were too much, no matter what the behavior for a 5 year old. Now, putting her in the police car minus those cuffs...that's more my speed.
Thanks for elaborating. I was seriously locked in my head about this. peace.
Oh...I forgot to tell you I played a game with your name today..come have a look see!
The purpose of cuffs, though, is to protect the officer, not a diversionary tool. Did they really worry about their safety transporting a 5 year old?
To be honest, I only know that this happened, not the details so I nay be way off.
Was the child cuffed IN FRONT of his classmates? My husband is a cop and one thing that drives him crazy is how frightened children are of police. I don't mean older kids, I mean under 10 year olds. He might pull someone over for a traffic stop and find a child hysterical in the backseat afraid he will arrest the parent or the child. This because the parent found it most effective to tell the child the police would arrest them if they didn't put on their seatbelt/behave/stop hitting their sister/whatever.
I can't really imagine a scenario where cuffs would be appropriate with a 5 year old. Removal, certainly, I agree that the other children deserve that but cuffs, no.
Ultimately, no threat inherent in authority carries any weight unless eventually proven by action. I thought I was alone in thinking this, but I am glad that you (if I understand correctly) at least partially agree: In the future, this child will think twice before getting so out of hand.
It is clear this child is used to the idea that no authority would stand its ground when push came to shove, so she pushed, and I'm sure was getting to just outright shoving when this happened.
I hope this experience will teach the child to take pause before going wild in the future.
The child was not injured and perhaps learned a little something about the consequences of her actions. Handcuffs were probably a bit much considering her age, but let's just hope that she and her parents got a big wake-up call.
Thank you, Mamacita, for remembering the other children in the classroom.
I agree that the child needed to be removed from the classroom and almost certainly needs professional help (not to mention a more involved mother). But I think handcuffs were over the top.
I posted on this Saturday... and I think the handcuffs are what threw most over the edge.
I guess, being where I am and doing what I do, that I'm just not sure what options we really have left. Maybe it takes someone with our unique point of view to see this.
I guess the police will need to find alternatives to cuffs... because this could get ugly.
I remember... I think.
Was I naked?
I agree. The rights of the other kids to a safe school environment are worth something, too. For sure, if the police hadn't taken the girl away and she had hurt someone else, peeps would be ranting about that. Perhaps they could have simply picked her up and carried her out--and then been criticized for "molesting" her.
My son was in the room with me when I saw the video, and I turned to him and said "If that had been you, when those cuffs came off the only one in hot water would have been you."
Cuffs were probably not the brightest idea, but the kid was out of control and schools now have to be so careful. It's not like someone could have picked her up, plopped her into a chair in a quiet room, and let he tantrum it out. Touch the kid and it's assault these days.
What gets me is that the mom has lost the opportunity for a valuable lesson. Instead of letting her kid know that there are consequences for bad behavior--and being arrested can be one of them--she's teaching the kid that she can get away with being a brat and she'll not only get bailed out, but Mom will sue on her behalf.
The little girl won't be scarred forever. But she WILL remember it happening, and the chance for it to be somthing good was lost.
I agree for the most part, but this kid is 5 years old! We all know that most of our kids pick inopportune moments to throw their little tantrums. Handcuffing a 5-year-old seems a wee bit rash to me.
Handcuffs were too much. There are way easier ways to control a person that small, maybe the officers don't know the methods. She was alone with the Principal in the room, the other kids had already been removed for safety. I have seen wild kids, this age even, kicking and punching their teachers. Twice I have seen grown women knocked down to the ground. It is no joke. The parents are savage, bestial, idiots, they should be the ones in handcuffs.
Yeah, the Vulcan Neck Pinch might have been more effective.
Or they could have Mesmerized her.
Or they could have shot her.
Could... should... we'll never know. They were there, and they did that. The kid's fine. If she'd broken a bone flailing around like a fish on deck, the mom would be suing for that.
What the HECK!
This reminds me of a quote from Mrs. Doubtfire... "don't make me get the hose!"
Amen, sister!
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