The 5year old and the school teacher

halfpint1 · ‎03-10-2010

I just saw what happened on the Today Show. Do you believe a school should allow this?

HE was to get paddled. I felt terrible. He is going to hate school. There had to be some other way to handle the situation. He had hit someone.

hoosieroriginal · ‎03-04-2012

I'll tell you, I got a paddling with Peter Paddle on the first day of the first grade for getting up to throw a tissue away. It humiliated me and I still hate being humiliated. I think it should be up to the parents to discipline their children. I have to say though, it sure kept me from doing anything bad through my school years. I was scared to death to do anything wrong. We had a principal who had elephantitis in one of his hands and all he would have to do was threaten kids he would use it on them.

aprilskies · ‎03-09-2010

Wow, just wow. I read an article from nbcnews and it said the child stuck his tongue out at the teacher, but I skimmed it so there might of been more.

I hope the parents take this further. I wouldnt mind a teacher disciplining my child, if appropriate, but to touch them in anyway, absolutely not. ...and to terrify the kid.

millieshops · ‎03-09-2010

I've never worked with a large group of little ones, so I have no ideas on what strategies might work in that setting.

I do know I don't like paddles, but I also know that boy is not the only one in his class who might turn out fearing/disliking school. No one seems to talk about the child who was hit (threatened with being hit?) or even the rest of the class, some of whom might well be intimidated by both the boy's actions as well as the punishment.

I did hear some of the report, but I wasn't right near my TV and really don't know all that was involved.

millieshops · ‎03-09-2010

@hoosieroriginalI think what happened to you was totally wrong. You weren't bullying anyone or threatening anyone, In your experience, there's no doubt in my mind, the principal was way over the line, and I'd bet money your were not the only child he mistreated.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

The OP forgot to tell a few facts -- this child had hit &spit on another student. He also had 18 days of unexcused absence. His mother signed off on the paddling instead of him being suspended. In the video he appears to be having a melt down. I am 100% sure the entire story has not been told here.

I do not believe in schools being allowed to hit children, but I do know there is a vast difference between a spanking and beating someone. My parents did not ever spank me , but my brothers - oh yeah!

hoosieroriginal · ‎03-04-2012

@millieshops wrote:
@hoosieroriginalI think what happened to you was totally wrong. You weren't bullying anyone or threatening anyone, In your experience, there's no doubt in my mind, the principal was way over the line, and I'd bet money your were not the only child he mistreated.

@millieshops - Actually it was my first grade teacher who grabbed me as I was going back to my desk, flopped me over her knee and then she spanked me with the paddle in front of the class. Between her and my principal, I was pretty scared to make a wrong move.

Goldengate8361 · ‎01-27-2014

Human beings should NEVER, NEVER, NEVER hit other human beings....particularly an adult to a child. This is assault. The teacher should be arrested and thrown into jail. I'm appalled.

riley1 · ‎03-10-2010

@151949 - I agree - And, the mother gave consent for the child to be paddled - then decided to video it on her phone. I think there is much more to this story - And, why would she consent, then video it - maybe she's seeing $$$. By the way, Corporal Punishment exists in Georgia and several other states.

Anniecamp · ‎03-12-2010

I saw several news reports and videos on this situation. What bothers me the most is how some don't see a problem with the boy ignoring the staff's instructions repeatedly, and then spitting at them. He didn't spit at another child, but the staff! He was also trying to hit another child. A 5 year old kindergartener definately knows that it is wrong. His mother has also had to go to jail for truancy, since he has missed so many school days. If his absences were for legitimate illnesses, I doubt they would have jailed her.

My opinion is that it's the mother of this boy that is the problem.