What is going on in FL with how children are being treated? Either child services loses them, they are being abducted, killed or put in handcuffs.

Its a child for god's sake, have a little finess. But, children don't vote do they?

That child didn't need handcuffs, she needed a good spanking.

I agree that what she really needs is a spanking. But there's also this bit:

If you watch the video you'll hear this quote from one of the three officers who "Do you remember me?" one of them asks the girl. "I'm the one who told your mom I'd put handcuffs on you."

This indicates that there's a whole lotta backstory on this we haven't heard.

The kids parents wouldn't have spanked that child, which explains the behavior to begin with. Notice how the child calmed down once the LEO arrived. I think this is exactly what the little fucker needed. My god, if I acted like that growing up, I wouldn't be sitting here today. I would be dead. What happened to the days when schools could paddle kids who acted up like this? Little fucker.

Yeah, they should have just tasered the kid.

Ok... kidding.

Another reason why they should go back to letting the teachers disipline the children, like when I was growing up. We got paddled, smacked on the hands and verbally talked to when we got out of line - in public school. Now, (yes, I'm going to blame the liberals) thanks to the liberal whining and their bullshit, if you look at a student funny you get in trouble. That's why these kids grow up with no respect at all.

This little girl obviously has behavioral issues and the police have dealt with her or her family before. And in this case, had to because no one else would or was afraid to. The kid needed to be restrained, and rather than risk a lawsuit the teacher had little option but to call someone who could restrain her.

I've worked with kids in this area (St. Petersburg/Bradenton) at the Boys & Girls club, we never had to call the cops because unlike teachers, we were allowed to restrain and punish a child if they got unruly.

And it's hard to compare your children to this child. You might not see it, but there are plenty of parental issues behind this childs behavior that probably don't exist in your house - nor in mine. My children are taught respect, therefore I would never expect something like this to happen. It's unfortunate that the cops had to come to restrain the girl, but neccessary, as obviously the teacher could not do anything without fear of retribution.

Spanking would be the right thing but you'd get arrested for it. Maybe the mother wanted to put a good scare into the kid, no doubt she probably needed it, as long as it didn't go any further than this. I've put the fear of God into my kids when they were little but up to a point so they never do that again. If this went further, then that's going too far but if this is it and it's going to make that little girl think twice next time, then I'm all for it.

Cindy

You know, over the last couple of years, I have heard of an increasing number of these incidents, i.e. school children acting out in some way that in times past would have been dealt with by parents or school officials, and the kid ends up being led away in handcuffs by local law enforcement officials.

Why?

Have school administrators gotten so gun shy about liability lawsuits that they think that this their only recourse in the case of a disruptive student?

Florida sure does seem to be a nice social laboratory these days.

"Do you remember me?" one of them asks the girl. "I'm the one who told your mom I'd put handcuffs on you."

That might work with a 14-year old. Whatever else is going on - and I agree mostly with the comments about teachers no longer having the necessary authority - this was a terribly poor way of handling the situation. But cops can only do what cops can do, which doesn't include proficiency in child psychology, and teachers can only do what they can do.

It should have been the parents' responsibility, like it was when a similar incident happened to a friend. She went, picked up the screaming kindergartner (literally), took him home and dealt with it. Never had the problem again, and that kid is one of the nicest.

My mother was an elementary school principal for many years before retiring four years ago. Near the end of her tenure, it wasn't uncommon for her to call the police to come restrain an uncontrollable child. The little darlings would go berzerk in her office, screaming, kicking, pushing over desks, etc. But god help her if she ever laid a hand on one of them. The police had no such qualms, however. Also, the brat's patents could often care less if the kid got dentention or a suspension, but when they got a call from the cops, that usually got their attention.

This kid need a can of Whoop ass opened up on her. Take that back, she needed a 6 pack of Whoop ass. It starts at home folks. The teachers did what they could without themselves getting into trouble. What happen to the days when the teacher could give you a spanking and for that matter when moms used to get the "wooden spoon" out.

* Corporal punishment at school banned.

* Defensive parents leaping to excuse their kids, do not discipline them at home.

* Rampant diagnosis of ADD and other disorders force schools to tolerate inexcusable conduct from children.

Schools are quickly running out of options.

They ought to fire the jerk who said "I'm the one who told your mom to put handcuffs on you". If those pussies can't handle a five year old child without putting handcuffs on her, then they need to find a new line of work.

Society is getting ridiculous when we have to resort to cops to handle each and every situation.

I wonder how often this happens at private schools.

I have subbed in our local schools a lot, and the kids these days just seem a lot more angry.

I also think parents are conflict avoiders, and they give in too quickly with their kids, and reinforce tantruming behaviors, then the kid gets to school, where big surprise, the world does not revolve around them.

Also, teachers pretty much don't have too many disciplinary options other than taking away reccess, which pretty much sucks as punishment IMO.

I won't disagree that the kid needed to be disciplined.

Handcuffing the child was ridiculous. She's five. The can of whoopass required, as someone so lyrically suggested, would be only a thimble full, if anyone there had any guts, or actually cared about the correction of the child's behavior.

For instance, if I were the principal, I and a staff member (and the school systems attorney, if I was worried that much) would sit her down in isolation. She could rage and scream until her lungs fell out, but I can outlast a five-year-old without police assistance. Unpleasant children, even really disruptive children, aren't a police matter. In Florida, they have plenty of work to do elsewhere.

Given that "remember me?..." quote, something tells me that the mother was in cahoots with the cops somehow, and in fact encouraged them to arrest her to "teach her a lesson". If so that mother ought to be given a serious tongue lashing, if not a physical one, and perhaps her parental rights stripped. Oh, yeah, and the cop ought to be fired regardless.

I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, I certainly agree that much has been lost in the way of education since the days that schools and school districts could deal with this through corporal punishment and/or detention (not "ISS", mind you, dark broom-closet style detention). That said, this child obviously has a history of this sort of outburst, and while everyone thinks it's "over-the-top" for her to be handcuffed at this age, the fact remains that tantrums at this age may well lead to massacres in the teen years.

On the other hand, though, I can see where some damage is being done here. The parents (or more likely, parent) and teachers should be able to deal with this without getting police involved. If nothing else, this child stands a great chance of growing up with even more resentment for authority, especially when it wears a badge.

Boo frickin hoo. Kevin, I'm quite sure that even on a bad day, your kids wouldn't be as cracked-out and disrespectful as this little snot was to her teachers, however castrated they are to responding in a way that constructively teaches her the necessary lesson.

The crafty little sucker was just getting away with what she could until the real muscle arrived. Miraculous repentance! Cue the tears.

Her reaction was the 5 year-old's version of, "What, me?"

Tantrums at five could lead to massacres in the future? We'll have to handcuff all five year olds.

In fact, I'll bet every person responsible for a massacre (there have to be a dozen or so, right?) had tantrums at two or three years old. Unfortunately, so did the other 300 million people who didn't massacre anyone.

We hear a lot about massacres, but they are very rare. Brutalizing every kid who has a tantrum is unlikely to change that number significantly in either direction.

"That makes me so sad....you broke her apple"

That's a hell of alot more restraint that I would have. From what I'm seeing, the teachers are not doing anything to stop her as in physically restraining her (probably for fear of a lawsuit). The teacher keeps going "Not Acceptable" which means absolute crap to the little girl. There are ways to restrain a child when they are doing something that you have continually asked them NOT to do. It doesn't take brain surgery, just proper training and a parent whose willing to sign a liability waiver.

It's not the police who were over the top; it's the educators. They had no business calling the police in the first place. The appropriate response to this situation would have been to put the girl in a room by herself (an empty conference room, for example), suspend her, and call her parents to come pick her up. They could have then warned the parents that if they could not find a way for their child to behave in school, the girl would have to be expelled.

I had my own experience once with stupid educators calling the police when I was 18. Long story short, I went to my little sister's elementary school to pick my sister up. A few hours later, I got a phone call from the police asking if I had attacked a girl at the school. Apparently a sixth-grader had run into the school ahead of me, breathlessly telling her teacher that I had chased her into the building. Instead of asking me about this while I was there like normal people would, the administrators quickly and quietly called the police. I was gone with my sister long before the police arrived, and they spent some time mulling over school video camera footage before they figured out who I was. Apparently the fact that children sometimes lie to get attention was completely lost on them.

I blame behavior like this on the fact that most school teachers are Democrats. 'Nuff said.

This is the foolishness which results when today's concept of "in loco parentis" doesn't permit spanking. For which you can thank lawyers and the hyper-litigious "what about my rights?" crowd. That spoiled rebellious brat needed her bottom warmed, just as mine was, just as my children's were.

I give it about 17 seconds before it becomes racial.....

1st, Kudos to the school staff for not losing it and doing something they'd definitely get in trouble for. I would never had been able to show the restraint. This is likely a reason I'm not involved in the education system or law enforcement.

2nd, that kid needed something drastic to be done. She obviously has no respect for authority unless you are wearing a badge and a gun. And how long do you think that will last with her? Can you imagine her at 13? The cuffs hopefully made an impression on the girl that acting out like this has consequences.

3rd, the cuffs were necessary from the police standpoint to ensure the safety of the girl and the officers. Had she been taken to the car without some sort of restraint, the kicking, hitting and screaming would have come back, resulting in the cops tightening their grip, the girl fighting harder, and so on. If you've ever handled a youngster in the midst of a tantrum, you'd be surprised how strong they become. I'm sure the officers could have restrained her without the cuffs - most adults could, but then we'd have an abuse lawsuit - which we'll probably have anyway.

damned if they do. damned if they don't.

Sorry, but all of you esposing corporal punishment probably have it wrong. Don't get me worng, I used to feel that way too. Until 5 years ago when we adopted a special needs child that has tantrums similar to this.

I COULD beat her until she broke and it would not stop the tantrums. It is psychological. It is the only way the child knows how to get her point across. The educators are at fault for allowing it to escalate. TroolSlayer had it right that the response should have been

The appropriate response to this situation would have been to put the girl in a room by herself (an empty conference room, for example), suspend her, and call her parents to come pick her up.

Now, the child knows that she will definitely get attention and her point across by acting this way so it will not be the last we hear of her.

Well, OK, hearing some of the other points softens my view a little bit. I'm willing to hear it all out. But I tell you what, this would never have happened if teachers could still put a paddle to your ass for acting up.

Ha! No sooner do I decide to post that than itsmedavid crossposts a counterpoint :) itsmedavid, you make a reasonable point, corporal punishment isn't going to work for everyone. But its strength is primarily in the [i]threat[/i] of its use. That is, for every kid who ultimately gets spanked there are many who would have acted up but for fear of being that one. I'm open to any alternate form of punishment that strikes a similar fear.

Due to my father's AF Reserve duties, I got to spend an enjoyable year (1971-1972, 3rd grade) at the Prattville Primary School in Prattville, Alabama (suburb of Montgomery). Mind you, up 'til then I'd been educated in the best liberal Vermont fashion. On the very first day of school my teacher took from her drawer a hard maple paddle, walked to the front of the room, and started slapping it against her hand Buford Pusser-style. It became exceedingly clear in that moment that I would not fsck up in that class. When punishment was needed, it was swift and unrelenting. The miscreant was taken into the hallway, where his (never saw/heard a girl get paddled) yelps would meld with the slap of the paddle. The way the school was laid out, everyone heard what was going on.

There were few discipline problems at Prattville Primary School.

i've agreed with itsmedavid's point from the start. The best option is to lock the child in a room by herself, then allow her to scream to her hearts content until she realizes her tantrum will not win her any attention.

spoilt brat.

Will a closet do? :)

Ugly. I have mixed feelings about this: sorrow that the kid's trajectory in life is straight down and that the school is an accomplice in this by demonstrating to her that they are rendered powerless by her bad behavior. I'm of an age and Catholic school education that the nuns would have whumped my ass and my mother would have been next in line.

That was then. This is now.

I have a daughter who is a teacher. She can't put her hands physically on a child to comfort them for fear of a lawsuit if they are hurt on the playground.

You can have all of the common sense in the world but it is voided by fear of child molestation/abuse allegations that come out of left field. And by "left", I mean the left that will not tolerate commonsense as a viable way of living anymore.

To the person who said this, "The kids parents wouldn't have spanked that child, which explains the behavior to begin with.", and to all the others that agreed with the "whoop ass" bit, you are so clueless as to what it takes to raise a child properly.

I have two boys and have never had to resort to any spanking. They do great in school, are highly praised by teachers and principals, have awesome grades. Spanking is NEVER required if you raise your child right ... from the moment they are born.

And that includes lots of love and attention, and making the line clear of what is acceptable and not acceptable behavior.

It seems most commenters operate from the assumption that this child's tantrum stems from unruliness, a lack of parental discipline, or some other conscious behavioral fault. As the parent of a child with an autistic condition, I dealt with tantrums like this for seven years. It is quite possible, if not likely, that this child suffer's from a disability similar to my son's -- in which she is incapable of processing the information necessary (i.e., be quiet or we are going to punish you) to self-regulate her behavior, resulting in a spiraling out-of-control ("melt-down," as it is called). Even if she could understand that she wants to conrol herself, she is incapable of it. The only way to address it is to remove her from the situation -- similar to what Henry said (without the lock) -- and let her complete her meltdown free of restraint, usually out of physical exhaustion.

I am certain there are those reading this that scoff, quite convinced my comment is one of those "a disability for every abberant behavior" beliefs of clueless parents. Don't be smug in your self-assurance. And thank God every single day that you have healthy children.

After years of treatment, special education, "behavior plans," psychiatric treatment, and (gulp) medication, along with a good deal of intellectual growth, the once uncontrollable child in this house is able to see his meltdowns beore they occur, and avoid them by expressing himself verbally and appropriately.

Many will not be so lucky. Particularly those whose inexplicable tantrums continue to be treated as though their conduct is deliberate or designed to attract "attention."

Sorry if this sounds a tad sanctimonious. I've endured too many of those "looks" in the supermarket, those rsvp "regrets," and a lot more, from the presumptuous parents of perfect children.

Blogworthy said:

* Defensive parents leaping to excuse their kids, do not discipline them at home.

* Rampant diagnosis of ADD and other disorders force schools to tolerate inexcusable conduct from children.

Count your blessings, my friend. And don't spread that gross generalization too thin!

Angie, you are blessed beyond measure that your children are so easily controlled. Either that, or your guidelines of "acceptable behaviour" are so broad that a only a certifiable psychopath would violate them.

Strange that you call me "clueless" about raising a child properly, seeing as I have the experience of raising five of my own, including a set of triplet girls. Do I spank them often? No. Do I spank them properly? Yes. I know this may be beyond your grasp, because of the angelic nature of your own offspring, but children sometimes do things that are just bad, even if they are raised "right."

My children don't fear me or my wife, but they do know that disobedience is not tolerated, and that defiance of authority will be punished. That's something that the girl in the video obviously didn't know, and although you don't disclose the age of your children (mine range from 5 to 15), I'd be willing to bet that they're not particularly hesitant to challenge authority either, even if they do back down with relatively little pressure. My word of caution is, if they are young now, the amount of pressure needed to keep them in line increases unbelievably when the hormones start to flowing.

That assistant principal is pathetic. She had no authority in her voice, no tactic other than repeating the same lame "not acceptable", no disciplinary skills at all. A good teacher doesn't need to spank/beat stubborn kids in order to get them in line. You notice the cops don't beat the girl to get her to sit down - as soon as she saw an adult whose authority she respected, she sat her butt down and got quiet. She probably would have done the exact same thing when her mom arrived. I've seen kids bulldoze weak, whiny, clueless teachers like this, driving them to tears, and when a strong teacher or parent gets on the scene, it's another story entirely. The problem is not that the teacher can't paddle kids, it's that she can't imagine any way to deal with kids besides whining with her hands up and "no ma'am" (uh, the kid should be calling you ma'am; you're revealing how little power you have). Between "no ma'am" and whipping, a good educator has 1,000,000 approaches for difficult kids -- I'm certainly agreeing that kid is being difficult -- and she has zip - zero.

I went to elementary school in Western Kentucky in the early 70's. Teachers were just beginning to experiment with idiocy like 'new math' and that ilk, while political correctness and self-esteem hysteria had not yet emerged. It was hard to learn much, and they didn't mind making you feel sort of stupid.

When I got out of line, and even occasionally when I didn't, I got a serious paddling. (Once for have an untied shoe.) Justice was swift and to the point, which was good, but could be arbitrary and brutal, which was not.

I would take exception to my kid getting the beating I took a few times. Teachers need to have the tools and authority to keep order, though. Without handcuffs or cops, preferrably.

I always find it amazing how many expert parents there are.

Coming in from outdoors, I saw the end portion of a Fox aired segment about this with Judge Napolitano and a Child Psychologist. The psychologist was very critical of the school and police response.

He contended this also had racial overtones and likely litigation would ensue. In the case, the out-of-control female student is African-American, all school staff appear to be White females and the psychologist was a male Afrcan American. The 3 officers were White; one was a female.

Looked to me like there might be more to the story.

Then I tried Wizbang to scope out the Caption Contest, and what should I see but this post.

I'm an early retiree HR Director/Manager and have handled issues in the workplace where workers had threatened or acted out. Colleagues at other employers in the region have had workplace fatalities due to violence at work.

I also sub teach 3-5 days a week from Pre-K to 12, including Special Ed; basically I accept whatever assignment they have a need for that is convenient for me. My undergrad is in Secondary Ed and my kids are grown, so I find it an enjoyable use of my time and a way to 'give back' a bit to the community.

I had parochial education through grade 10, and would never have made it alive out of 1st grade if I'd pulled more than 15 seconds of behavior like shown on the tape!

I watched the office tape and read the accompanying newpaper account before posting this. Obviously some posters have not read the newspaper account.

Some observations: The classroom is spacious and seems well equipped. The out-of-control student looks tall for her age, and is well dressed and not scruffy. The FOX tape showed the administrator present with a walkie-talkie, and trying to control her in ways that seemed appropriate. I have a dial-up so I did not view all of the classroom tape.

The office tape showed the student trashing the room, repeatedly striking at the V-P, and climbing repeatedly on the round table (likely a pedestal). The V-P acted to keep the student from injury, to protect herself from assault and to minimize the physical damage, in that order. The office outburst lasted more that 4 1/2 minutes before the kid quieted down. It appears that the arrival of the police was what got her attention, since they entered right afterwards.

Its clear from the officer comments and the newspaper account that the police had been summoned to deal with this student previously, and had warned her a repeat would get her removed.

The school and the police are in a lose-lose bind in this type of encounter. They have to control an unruly child who is capable of hurting themself, other students and adults, in addition to trashing the class, etc. In addition, they have a duty to provide a conducive environment for other students to learn in.

I think the school and police made good decisions here. The parent was called and could not be at the school in a timely fashion. The police acted to neutralize the child's ability to act out while in their custody, which removed the child's opportunity to harm herself or others while enroute to the station.

Earlier this year I subbed for a teacher who had been assaulted by a primary school student. He ran from his classroom while they were trying to call his parent, because of his behavior, and repeatedly hit a teacher in an adjoining room about the head and face with a phone handset when she was trying to summon assistance. She was out of work for several weeks before gradually returning to work on a part-time basis as she healed.

Other posters have commented on the changes we have accepted in society over the past few decades. Most, including me, rue taking effective disciplinary tools from teachers, while appearing to grant license to increasingly unruly students.

Students have a right to be educated in an atmosphere conducive to learning; students and teachers should not be exposed to assault in the school. Students like this should be out of the system until they can demonstrate that they can meet behavioral expectations on a continuing basis.

Anyone who teaches in public schools can quickly discern, with a high degree of accuracy, which students are getting good guidance at home. The 80/20 rule definitely applies.

We have a lot of people here arguing what constitutes good disciplinary technique from a parent's perspective. Well I have to tell you I'm not convinced that parental techniques map so easily to the public classroom. It's one thing when the parent-child ratio is 1:1 or 2:1, another thing with the teacher-child ratio is 1:20.

Now I'm willing to hear some genuine alternatives to restoring corporal punishment in the classroom. And some here have offered them. The good ones have to be scalable. I think that inevitably means some sort of stern but brief disciplinary techniques for the classroom... and for those that do not respond to those techniques, the child has to be separated to allow the rest of the class to progress, and only then more involved, in-depth, and individualized approaches can be considered.

A brief clarification on my 80/20 comment.

20% of students frequently consume 80% of your time due to their behavioral issues. They make learning a challenge for the 80% of students who are interested in learning, and who have behavior that is acceptable.

Yes, let's lock the little hellion in a room, by herself, so she can resolve her tantrum.. And, while she's in there by herself, maybe she'll get injured, and the school will have a juicy, tax-dollar-sucking lawsuit on their hands..

Teachers should not have to be referees.. The onus for instilling proper respect for an authority figure falls directly on the parents..

I was not in a school which employed physical disipline.. That being said, this kind of abject disrespect would rarely, if ever, occur in my time.. (I'm 33, by the way.)

Kids used to have the Fear of God reverberate through their heads if a call to their parents was deemed neccessary..

Now, instead of being disiplinarians to their kids, parents are too busy trying to be friends with them..

Spank the little shit.. Better yet, bludgeon the parents..

I was expelled my first day of Nursery School when I asked for a hamburger instead of a cheeseburger (both available at the lunch table), and was physically attacked (beaten over the back and head) by the teacher for daring to ask for anything. I am not sure, but it may have been also because I spoke before the prayer for the meal - something we didn't do at home and I was unfamiliar with. After said teacher told my mother I was psychotic, I had a long session with a kiddie shrink who concluded the teacher was the psycho. We went to a different school, where they said I'd do better in Kindergarten.

Which I did. Fortunately, I did learn quickly to shut up and be still during prayer. So no more trips to the kiddie shrinks.

Dang, if that had happened in a legal environment we have today, we'd of gotten a multi-million dollar settlement in court for abuse, and I probably would have turned into a real psycho-delinquent...

BTW, I never did develop a phobia of cheeseburgers. Just Nursery School teachers.

Home discipline was having to pick a switch from the forsythia hedge and take a quick but meaningful leg/thigh lashing. That sure happened as infrequently as I could manage.

As tempted as I am to use a 2 x 4 to apply the same kind of discipline to the teen age boys under my current supervision, I've found the only legal way I can get their attention these days is to remind them I can have them evicted in 14 days or less. That and non-monetary carrots (helpful guidance and the occassional stint as chauffeur) seems to work towards some level of cooperation.

But I long for the lost legal ability to administer a swift kick to the butt.

There is currently proposals before some florida school boards to deny problem students access to services if the families refuse to medicate the children. Something tells me that the taping of this might end up in one of those hearing.

I think we can all agree kids are over medicated. Some kids need the meds to function. Most kids are given them because doctors are pill happy with kids these days and parents are too busy trying to get back to their day job to wonder about alternatives to medications that alter the chemical balance of a child's brain.

Anyway, I wouldn't be surprised to see these tapes shown in defense of the schools trying to force parents to medicate their kids or keep them at home.

What no one seems to have addressed occurs in the classroom video. While trying to control the child the teachers are informed that the mother can not come in until 3:15PM because she gets off of work at 3. That is unacceptable in this situation. I realize that the mom may be placed in a bad spot at work, but what signal does this send to the school and the kid when the parent can't be bothered. The parent(s) should have been handcuffed right after the girl was. This girl has been raised with no respect for any authority figure other than the police.

And wavemaker I think that is where you can tell this girl does not have the same condition that your boy does. The moment she sees the police she sits down at the table and becomes silent and still. She now knows she has gone too far.

Back to my point about the parents or parent. I know while I was in school, the mere threat of calling my parents if I acted up or got in trouble was enough to scare me straight. I never went to a school with corporal punishment, but my parents would dole it out when necessary and would not do it to harm me, more to teach me a lesson. And it worked. I will do the same with my kids when they step out of line. The school also seems totally inept in handling this situation, but I could write forever about that, maybe tomorrow. Tonight, I just wonder why her parents have their heads up their asses.

I'm sorry but those cops had no right to put the cuffs on that little girl. When the girl saw the cops she was sitting calmly in the chair.

That experience will probably hurt her more than help her.

She is not a bad little girl. She obviously has a problem. My sister is a school teacher that works with kids with issues. I sat in on her class, and she had a kid that acted just like that. The kid probably missed a dose of her meds to calm her down.

Either let the school discipline the kid, or let them kick her out. There are kids there who are able to behave, and the school shouldn't be wasting its time on brats like this. Handcuffing was over the top... they could have easily just each grabbed one of her arms.

Is it just me or does it seem to anybody else like the government of Florida is just out of control? Black is the new pink and Florida is the new California.

Rob and others with similar comments about the handcuffing of the child when she was found to be "sitting calmly in her seat" (and yet then handcuffed)...

Her earlier and highly observed behavior was very bad, very violent. Once observed as being capable of such an outburst, there's a liklihood that it will happen again (d'oh). Thus, given the violence involved, restraining anyone -- child or adult -- is reasonable to both prevent further harms to herself and/or to others.

In other words, whether found calm or not, it's the potential that's already been established by people displaying that level of violence: that they can and have and are likely to do so again and for similar unprovoked reasons.

Thus, restraining them inorder to, particualrly, move them somewhere else (more restrictive, less vulnerable to their outbursts, like jail or some equally closed/cloistered area) is sensible for all concerned, and particularly the person themself.

The level of violence that the child enacted was extraordinary, for whatever reason. It's important not to underestimate that, the extreme nature of her behavior and under what circumstances -- in other words, her violent response in no way is related to any harms or threats or circumstances in which she was prior to the outburst (thus, I describe her outburst as being "extraordinary" and "extreme" -- it bears no correlation to any cause or reason other than reflects her inner disorganization of whatever motivation or kind).

I can't begin to comment on WHY the child acted this way (no one can unless they know a great deal about her and her environment), but, for anyone just walking into a situation like that, you can't project what YOUR children do or would or will do in similar circumstances (most will not be engaging in outbursts even approaching the severity that this child displayed), what YOU would do as parent with your own children even if they'd behaved like that, you just have to do what is best at that moment for the child, others present and yourself: prevent further harms to any and all and yourself.

So, restraining the child, under these circumstances, is and was appropriate. She may have been found "sitting calmly in her seat" when the police entered the room, but there is no likely way to predict what she would do when if the police left or were not present -- meaning, she's displayed cause to be restrained and it was the responsible thing to do to ensure the safety of all concerned.

I hope that this child gets the counselling she so obviously requires (d'oh) and any competent counselling will also include her parents.

Sometimes people have psychiatric problems, sometimes physiological ones, sometimes behavioral, but without evaluating her for whatever her situation is, you can't speculate beyond the immediate circumstances.

I've seen people with schizophrenia go from "sitting quietly in their seat" in even highly sophisticated circumstances to suddenly and without provocation go completely raving mad, inflict potentially fatal harms upon others. And then quickly return to the "sitting quietly in their seat" afterward, with no explanation as to why, or willingness to explain why.

There really ARE people with that level of profound problem and just because a person is a child does not make the problem excusable. I think the child, in this situation, is indicating that she has profound disturbance and needs medical care.

And, the police handled the situation competently as to what's observable on that tape.

Sorry, except for that taunting statement, which is completely inexcusable. Chalk that up to immaturity by whoever said it but the actions are what are key here and their actions are sensible and required.

Mike said:

"And wavemaker I think that is where you can tell this girl does not have the same condition that your boy does. The moment she sees the police she sits down at the table and becomes silent and still. She now knows she has gone too far."

Good observation, Mike -- you may be right. But I have had the police visit my home here, as a result of my son calling 911 in one of his states. As soon as he saw the uniformed guys enter his house, he fell silent (not in control, just silent) and placid.

I must say that, reviewing the descriptions of how the school personnel treated the situation, they did a good job -- if the teachers in my public schools had learned the techniques used by this teacher, my son may not have to be attending a special ed school for autistic kids.

I think Hector is right on the mark, the police were called in when they shouldn't have been because teachers are now afraid they'll get sued if they lay one finger on any child, whether to restrain them or even comfort an upset child, this way the cops will get sued instead....

on the other hand, I think times have changed

I don't remember any kids going kamikazi when I was in the early grades of school, there is a difference between tantrum and kamikazi and I hear this kid went kamikazi, tearing the classroom apart, hitting the teacher, which may be symptomatic of some deeper issues (abuse? neglect?)

but my neice went to a private school for her early grades and there was this one sad pathetic kid, from wealthy parents, who was a disaster, he threatened to kill my neice, he wasn't tiolet trained at age 4, he had tantrums almost every day, he threatened most of the girls and did hit them on occasion, they finally kicked him out of the school - which is a luxury of a private school, you can get rid of troublemakers, the next serial killer lives.....

now given the girl was calm when they arrived, were handcuffs necessary but I agree with another poster, the remark from the police officer suggests that perhaps the mother had warned the daughter that if she misbehaved again she would tell the police to handcuff her, and perhaps the mother had told the police to do so....

what do you want to bet this is the case but that won't stop momma from suing the police because most people are appalled and she can get some bucks out of it - how about the police insurers agree to a settlement provided the money goes into counselling the parents and the kid....

the more interesting question is this, will this kid throw another tantrum in school again or was she sufficently terrified, but if the parents sue the police and she comprehends that, I suspect that will negate any lesson learned....too bad perhaps?

My older sister teaches 3rd grade in Newark, NJ, and some children are truly out of control. They have never been properly disciplined growing up, and more and more parents expect a school...to teach their children proper standards of behavior, respect etc...

The problem with that child started at home, and it's not about medicating these children. Ritalin is waaaaay over-prescribed because people are too lazy to RAISE their children properly.

Kids eat sugared cereal, add more sugar to it, drink a coke, and then come to class. Of COURSE they can't sit still or pay attention, but that's not ADD, that an improper DIET...

Medicating children is a one size fits all solution (that lines the pockets of big pharma.) And is RARELY needed....and the future potentially psychotic mental effects of being medicated from the age of five haven't BEGUN to be explored...

What the heck is going on? I have ridden on planes with unruly children. I see them in supermarkets and toy stores, in restaurants and at churches. Usually they are caucasian children and the parents are there. I dont notice anyone calling the police on them and trust me some of them needed it. I DONT CARE what kind of parent a child has who is five years old, I DO NOT ever want to see five year olds in handcuffs. If the child is that unruly call an ambulance and have the child sedated and committed for evaluation. Call child protective services and file a complaint that the child is at risk. NOTHING in that video makes handcuffing that five year old acceptable rational behavior. Dont give me that you feel sorry for the teachers and police thing. I am sure that they have all had children who have misbehaved at one point or another and children DO misbehave. It would have NEVER dawned on them to cuff their own children or relatives children. There is not a teacher in that school who would allow it to happen to a child whom was a relative of theirs.
This was clearly a case of some adults with axes to grind trying to get even with the mother when all else has failed. You mean it didnt dawn on them to simply expel her and tell her mother to come and get her? And if the mother didnt come then calling the local authorities to get the mother? If you are parents YOU KNOW what kids are like from time to time. If you are not parents YOU KNOW in spite of all the beatings and discipline you received you misbehaved. Or else how could you say that if YOU acted a certain way your mother or father would have done this or that? You were NOT perfect when you were five and you are not perfect now. So are you saying that this child is somehow a worse individual than you yourself are? So then what do you deserve? The question is not whether or not the child needs discipline. The question is WHO disciplines and to WHAT extent. The only other place I would guess this would have been acceptable was in NAZI German. But In the land of the free and the home of the brave? Its downright sick. This was not a police matter. Why the police? It was used as a tactic to scare the little girl into behaving. And when she was sitting quietly why cuff her? Why not simply call child protective services then or an ambulance? Or the mother? It was to inflict a punishment because at that point there was no need to cuff her. It was downright sick. Say did they read her her rights?

Do so many here not understand? The school was put in the ludicrous position of having "school security" officers handcuff a child doubtless because of PRIOR LITIGATION and FEAR OF DEVASTATING JUDGMENTS for disciplining children. They didn't dare lay a spanking hand on the spoiled hellion.

Something also tells me, in a school that has walkie-talkies and security officers, there's a written code of behavior and punishment, doubtless acknowledged, agreed to and signed by the parents, which clearly sets out the possibility of physical restraint by officers if the child is out of control and a parent does not immediately come and remove the child from the school. This almost certainly is a contract and waiver issue. So cut the crap about out-of-control-Florida and Angie's PETA-like "physical discipline is torture, and a failure of the parent" fluff.

Unbelievable! The police did no wrong. Obviously this "Brat" is a headcase that recieves absolutely no discipline at home. The mother should also be cuffed and charged with neglect. Yes, I believe raising a child without teaching "IT" how to act or behave is in fact neglect. Simplest solution is to expel the child and let Darwinism run it's course.

I'm sure that bleeding heart clueless liberals, like `What the Heck` as well as others will disagree with this. But they don't seem to realize that the views of living in their ideal "Utopia" just isn't feasible. Liberals are the most responsible party for the breakdown of morality.

No, I'm not a Republican, or a Democrat. I actually look at the issues, weigh the merits and vote accordingly. Unlike what you might be led to believe "I Care"

This child obviously doesn't!!!

I can't believe that you are all saying that what this child needs is to be hit by an adult. How is that going to teach her anything at all, other then it is OK for a 200 pound person to physically abuse her? Where is your compassion. Five year olds have tantrums. They should have helped her to find a quiet place to tantrum, and then let it go. It is good to know that apparently none of you EVER had a good tantrum when you were growing up, your parents must have been so proud.

mmm. definitely. the liberal conspiracy has ruined good, old-fashioned education in this country where we could beat the shit out of all those little snotrags who didn't know how to hop-to fast enough. man, if only we could bring back corporal punishment, everything would be better. it's amazing how much regular beatings improve a child's behavior... good, god-fearing children never ever misbehave, you see, because they know their parents will beat the crap out of them. must be nice...

Great thats it call me a liberal without even knowing me. It still does not negate the fact that hog tying a Five Year Old over a Jelly Bean Game is WRONG. You know what I find telling is that you "Fucking Liberals" claim to care. About what? Ohhhhhh YOUR OWN OPINION. For the record I am not a liberal. I am not against discipline. I believe the punishment should fit the crime. I support the death penalty hey I would support it for those who havent even killed anybody a mere attempt to take anothers life is enough for me. But I DO NOT support a POLICE STATE and arresting five year olds for misbehaving in school is RIDICULOUS. I see that you are completely without sin Fucking Liberals and your choice of grammar is evident of that. You know I believe in biblical times they could cut your tongue out for such innappropriate language. Or maybe you too can be arrested... I find it hard to believe that you would even attempt to call this a liberal issue. Don't try to use the tactic that so many fake conservatives use to brand people they disagree with. I know the difference. Don't try to make this a Democrat or Republic issue. Or have you not noticed five year olds are not allowed to vote. This is cut and dry five year olds may require 1) time outs 2) no television 3) spankings 4) physical restraint. They do not require being bent over a table by TWO or THREE police officers and cuffed. If you can not see that there is more to this picture than meets the eye. A) If the police had been to the school before concerning the child why not EXPULSION? Or how bout this? How did she get to school that day? Was it on a bus? Does everyone hold the same opinion of this child that you do? I am sure she has come in contact with other people. Do you think that neighbors or church goers or her pediatrician see her as an obvious satan spawn requiring police arrests and restraint in the same manner as umm okay Scott Peterson or John Couey? She is still a FIVE YEAR OLD who basically needed at best a mother present and some intensive counseling and at worse a mother present, a spanking and some intensive counseling. NOT in my conservative thinking something as extreme as being cuffed and not read her rights. Which I did not notice on the tape and frankly before you cuff someone be it a toddler or kindergartener you should follow the letter of the law and read them their rights. But wouldnt it be ridiculous to read rights to a FIVE YEAR OLD?

So many simple-minded and uncaring judgments out there. It is possible to be caring and have the child's best interests at heart and still remain in authority. These pathetic teachers were none of the above. If there's backstory revealed in the cop's comments, there's also backstory revealed in the teacher's stupidity and utter inability to manage the kid's behavior. This didn't start here--as a previous thread stated, the kid knew who was in control, and it wasn't the hovering 200-pound white woman yapping at her. And you all are fortunate to have jobs in which you have the freedom to declare that you are leaving early because the school called. I mean, perhaps the mother was just blowing off her responsibilities, but perhaps she would have lost her (probably minimum-wage) job had she cut out. At least reserve the possibility of having some empathy. The authoritarian, come-down-on-them, show em who's boss mentality may instill civil order, but it certainly does not instill civility and respect for one another. The girl is 5. She has limited means to express her anger and limited means of getting herself under control. What she learned is that using her Voice will get her squashed by big white people with guns.

It is good to know that apparently none of you EVER had a good tantrum when you were growing up, your parents must have been so proud.

I never, ever saw any kid act out like this one did when I was in grade school. (And yes, I went to public school. And it wasn't in the 40s either, but rather the late 70s.) If any kid had acted like this in my kindergarten, ripping things off the walls in a total rampage, they would have been dragged off to the principal's office by the teacher (with as much force as needed), and probably transferred into special ed, never to be seen by the rest of us again.

Tantrums are when you yell and stomp your feet and act petulant. This kid was screeching and committing outright violence.

Erin and Sarah have pretty much displayed how our feel good, politically correct social/education workers have redefined the act of spanking of our children. To think that a good spanking could be termed physical abuse or that light forms of corporal punishment can be labeled beating the snot/shit out of our kids is ridiculous. I'm so sick of hearing about ADD and people trying to talk it out with bratty, spoiled kids. We have become a society where we are afraid to discipline our kids the way we were disciplined. THere is too much litigation and not enough personal responsibility.

In regards to this incident, I can understand why the police were called and why the handcuffs were placed on her. It is all in the name of liability and not wanting to get sued, which is obscene but necessary. A parent should have been there immediately, unfortunately the parent(s) seem to be part of the problem as well. The girl would have most likely reacted the same way when her mom and/or dad walked into that office (that is if this girl respects her parents), but since her mother couldn't be bothered until 3 o'clock, the cops had to take care of this the only way they know how.

Think how much time and energy was spent on one little girl. Her mother should be paying extra for her daughter's education. All the other students in that class had to wait in the hall. If my daughter were in that class I would be concerned about the amount of down time she was getting due to pitter-patting around with a disruptive child.

How many uneducated people do we have in this world? Too many. You don't repay a 5-year old's bad behavior with spanking or corporal punishment. It doesn't work. All of those who think it does need to visit our Prisons and talk with the prisoners to see just how great their childhood's were. This child needed to be protected not arrested. She was obviously in distress but the distress I believe in reviewing the tapes was brought on by the teacher. If the teacher doesn't now how to control a 5-year old, then God help her! This teacher needs to go back to school and learn about new techniques. She obviously made the situation worse by her actions and non-actions. The proper actions would have been to isolate the child, call the parents, and call in trained medical staff....not turn a video camera and say "look at me, I did everything right and this child is just plain BAD!" which bless her soul she is not. This is behaviorism at its worst for both the adult and the child. The child had an excuss....she's 5 years old! What are the adult's excuses???? THEY'RE JUST PLAIN STUPID! We should arrest them for their stupidness!!

Although Kevin linked to two sptimes videos, he didn't link to the paper's article.

During an interview of the mother in her home, "her three children rambled through the apartment. The girl, the oldest child, rode a pink bicycle through the living room, one of the training wheels missing. Her brother got up on a table and swatted a light fixture, laughing." [emp ed.]

Despite the hype, I don't think the school or law enforcement should be blamed. The fault seems to be a mother who lets her children do whatever the heck they want, and then tries to blame somebody else.

The money quote from the article (http://tinyurl.com/bw795) may be: "They set my baby up."

In order to respond to comments by some people I know, does anyone know if the mother is gainfully employed, or is she on welfare? Also, does she live in public housing? My contention is that just because of this incident she does not have to fall in that group, but some I tale to do not believe me.

Absolutely astonishing that there are posters here that refuse to condone the school or the police for these actions. Regardless of the girls back ground I'm flabbergasted that the teachers felt this kind of action was needed and that 3 police officers went ahead and handcuffed her.

This a sad indication of the direction society is moving here in the US. As a New Zealander nearing the end of my tenure I can say it is with great relief that myself and family will shortly be returning. In 5 years here I've yet to have experienced a society that so malignantly denies responsibility for itself as the US. This episode is yet another symptom of the cancer that steadily grows in this country. When we came in 2000 we were anxious to see all our misconceptions about the US dispelled but alas, 5 years on we leave with misconceptions confirmed as hard truths. Good luck for the future, Lord knows you need it America !!!

Amazing how expert people are who have never walked in the school's shoes, or raised children, or...imagine this....weren't there.

I wasn't there. I haven't raised a child. But I am a public school teacher - oh, and not a democrat. This child is acting out in an inappropriate manner. Obviously, she has no idea how to deal healthily with her anger. And here she is in school.

And since it is a public school, everyone's hands are tied by the PC police. So, no, they can't do much with a child who is not ready for school, except refer to the parents...which apparently was done.

In this case, from what the officer said, this is nothing new for the child. And obviously, the Mother is aware of her behavior, AND of the consequences should the child do it again.

So, for a moment, let's quit playing the blame game, get out of the judgement seat, and look at it for what it is. A child out of control, in a public institution that MUST follow the rules, with no legal means to handle her, being handled by a police officer that obviously knows the child, the Mother, and has dealt with this before. The only reason everyone's panties are in a wad is because it is on video tape.

If you must sit in the judgement seat, then observe the child. Children learn what they live, and here's what she's learned to do when she is angry. The school is not the home, nor can it BE the home, mother, or whatever is lacking in the child's life. Obviously the school contacted the parent...and here we have a man who knows the child and is at least one person following through with some consistency in her life. Maybe this man is the only father figure this girl has. Maybe the Mother even called this man. For whatever reason, the chld has learned an innapropriate response. She was warned of the consequences, and now, she is reaping what she has sowed.

It's called 'real life'.

This isn't "real life" , this is "American life" 2 entirely seperate concepts. Only here would you find a member of the education sytem that feels 3 police officers HANDCUFFING a 5 yr old child appropriate. Like I said America , best of luck, with people like this responsible for your children your going to need it !!!

I think they did everything CORRECTLY...if the girls mother was to busy to come and control her child then they had to call someone to do it, they could have controled her themselves and then they would have been accused of child abuse.

MOM IS THE REASON THE CHILD IS THIS WAY IN THE FIRST PLACE - TO BUSY TO DISIPLINE YOUR CHILD!

Real life is reaping what you sow. In this particular part of America, sir, this particular child was apparently told she would get handcuffed by this particular man, who then followed through. This is her life. Her real life.

The problem with America is that personal responsibility and being held personally accountable is no longer PC...and the real abomination is PC rules. Everyone blames someone or something else. I agree with you sir. You made your point. I was not arguing with you. Neither was I referring to you.

you cannot let the child "de-escalate", this places the power to control the situation in the hcild's hands. The administrators need to display their power and forcibly display it if needed. The child was likely not being punished appropriately at home and the state had to step it.

this kid needs a spanking! with a belt! worked for me, so why not it work for her?

Richard, you said initially:

"Absolutely astonishing that there are posters here that refuse to condone the school or the police for these actions. Regardless of the girls back ground I'm flabbergasted that the teachers felt this kind of action was needed and that 3 police officers went ahead and handcuffed her."

Obviously, you meant "refuse to criticize" or "condone," not "refuse to condone."

But since we are in such dire need of assistance in this matter, how does a public school teacher in New Zealad handle a child in the circumstance. Specifically what was it that the teacher did wrong in dealing with this girl?

Several Points Of View

Generally Kids Who Act up at this age (in a Violent Manner around Adults), Usually don't have a father in the house, More Likely than not, The Mother Doesn't Watch the Child, and Thirdly The Mother Usually Beats the Child When She See's Something She Doesn't like whether the child is at fault or not; causing the child to have a hard time understanding the right and wrong way to act when in a confrontation.

I believe a child should be told that they are going to be Spanked if they don't quit being bad, I believe that you must never Bluff a child. If they Do not Stop, and you do not act on it. Then they will never believe that a punishment is ever going to happen. And then they will act however they want.

I don't believe all Adults about the Behavior of Children.

Now, a marble isn't really anything big to get mad about, but Theft is...

From an experience I had when I was a child I will never take a teachers word as the Absolute truth... Here is what happens. It’s the 2nd Grade, Marble Season, I was playing marbles with another kid, and I won. The kid took both marbles, and pretended to throw them down across the playground, at this point I did what a small child is supposed to do... I told the Teacher. the teacher tells the kid that he has to look all over the playground for the marble, that’s when he pulls it out of his pocket, showing that he stole it... at this point the teacher tells him to hand it over, (here I am dumb thinking that she intends to give it back to me) then she says that she is going to keep it and put it in her Jar to give out to the good kid of the week... (WHAT!) So he steals it from me, then she steals it from me... I argue that its mine and she should give it back... she says no. and get back in line....
Walking back I shout You F*CKING B*TCH... at this point she asks me what I said, so I repeat it... word for word... So I go to the principal’s office... The principal asks me what I said... So I repeat it ... Word for word... Then my parents come to get me (I'm being suspended for the Theft of my marble) apparently the Teacher and the Principal lied... they said that I said "I'm gonna kick your a**" so they take that as a threat and Suspend me... So here is honest proof that a child who’s mad about The Theft of his Property, Who Did the Right Thing by reporting the Theft, Got Screwed by a Lying Teacher and A Lying Principal. Don’t always believe the adults Folks.

As a teacher, I'm interested to know how all these people who suggest "putting her in a room by herself" plan on getting her into the room. Obviously, the teachers are not allowed to lay a hand on the child ----- due to ridiculous and inadequate educational statutes. Do you think she's going to go to that room of her own free will?

Wave, Thank you for pointing out my grammatical error.

What really chills me to the bone is that you and millions of others honestly see no wrong in the image portrayed here. A 5 year old, thats FIVE years old , not 15, is handcuffed by 3 police officers, are you so emotionally numb that you honestly feel that the correct course was followed here for a , let me repeat this again "FIVE" year old having a tantrum.

Armed police officers, restraining this 5 yr old by the hands and feet and you ask what exactly did the teacher do wrong !! I guess if you can't see it then you are beyond help.

A good spanking never killed any child. This child needed it. The problem in our society is that beating a child abusively is always equated with spanking a child and they are two different things. The other problem with our society is that no one is responsible for anything they do, and as long as we hold to this mental attitude, the breakdown of our society will get progressively worse (can anyone say Roman Empire? - once a great world power as well).

I would like to know what started this child's tantrum and if she is allowed to act like that at home. If her mother allows her to show disrespect in the home (and I would bet a week's wages there is no father in the house), then why would anyone expect this child to show respect when outside of the home?

Seeing this behavior doesn't surprise me. I actually expect it to get much worse since parents aren't allowed to use any type of physical discipline and soon any type of discipline at all. It amazes me that the folks championing against discipline and who have Master's degrees and PhDs and who come from and era when spanking was accepted turn around and tell today's parent that it is wrong to physically discipline their children, but then refuse any repsonsibility when these undisciplined children act like animals. Why can't these Master degreed and PhDs use their so-called superior knowledge to see the correlation between discipline and respect = good behavior and good future as opposed to no discipline and disrespect = violent, disruptive behavior and a non-productive future?

Richard,

Of course we see what's wrong here. No one feels a child should be handcuffed. No one feels a child should come into school and throw the kind of tantrum she did. No one feels the child should have a mother that can't or won't control her children. No one feels we should have a public school system that is so hamstrung by PC policy it cannot lay ANY kind of hands on a child...not even restraining ones....without a threat of lawsuit. No one thinks ANY of this is how it SHOULD be. It all sucks.

Feel better now?

The thing is, it is WHAT IS for this situation. For good or bad, that is WHAT HAPPENED. The only saving grace here is there was at least one adult in this child's life who was bigger than she; the guy that said he was going to handcuff her, and then did. And the ONLY reason this is positive is this poor kid has NO ONE in her life BIGGER than her tantrums. She gets away with this behavior. And no, the schools cannot do what is needed. THAT is reality!

I'm still waiting for you to tell us what New Zealand would do. Seriously.

In fact, enlighten me on what you had heard about the US that makes it so bad. I'm truly curious. As a US citizen, I have no other perspective. I do, however, have serious problems with the prevailing society in the public institutions. But as a working member of that institution, I know that I have NO power to change it for the simple matter that it IS a public/government institution.

the handcuffs were for everyones protection, the girls included. You can't just put her alone in a room, how insane is that!??! A kid going nuts, and you leave her alone in a room w/o supervision? And the cops couldn't control her, sure the chances of something happening are remote but then again do you want to be the one to explain to the officer that his eye was clawed out by an out of control child accidentally and he shouldn't feel so bad about it?

Richard, come down from your supposed high and mighty perch, you egotistical twit. All you have done is derided this country, explained how bad this all is and how wrong it is, but have refused to impart on us any sort of New Zealand wisdom in how to handle this matter.

And people, can we stop calling this a tantrum. Have you seen the videos, this was no tantrum. This girl was being destructive and seemingly on the edge of violence. We haven't seen everything, but we also don't know everything that has led to the handcuffing. Obviously, this girl has seen and been spoken to by this police officer before. That is why he says to her I'm the one who told your mom I'd put handcuffs on you. Like Ministeve said (before his painfully off-topic story about his own childhood) you can't bluff a child, that is why the cop had to use the handcuffs this time. Hopefully this will teach her a valuable lesson. One she is not learning at home.

I know this situation could have been handled differently, but until we can learn from our superiors of New Zealand, I guess will just keep repeating this.

2 Things.
1. It seems that most people misheard the cop who spoke to the girl. Most people seem to think he said "Do you remember me? I'm the one who told your mom I'd put handcuffs on you."
When he actually said "Do you remember me? I'm the one you told your mom put handcuffs on you."

2. I think the cuffs were over the top and the cops should have handled it differently. However, the entire scene points to a much larger problem that we have in our schools right now. This is how children behave when they know that there is no recourse for their actions. As long as educators have no real way to discipline students events such as this will only become more prevelant. I am disgusted that people are making this BRAT out to be a victim because she's not. In the end all I can say is that the girl in the video is very lucky that she is not my daughter.

It's amazing how many people commenting are teachers and also some of them are psychopaths masquarading amongst you. I am suprised the cops just didn't shoot the kid as that what some would like to have seen, hell get the kids address and you can have a lynching party as she deserved it. As for a 5 year old taking out a big burly cops eye, what planet are some of you on.

No matter how you want to look at it it's 3 cops thats right 3 cops holding down a 5 year old Black GIRL and handcuffing her along with leg restraints apparently. Now you may not know this but it's made worldwide news as I saw it in the UK. Crime must be pretty low in that part of town if the cops have time to handcuff a 5 year old girl. I shouldn't be suprised as you execute your kids there too, so whats new.

child abuse isnt quite the term for this Bullshit - id say its more like abusive behavior from a child. that little girl needs some jail time (and give that teacher an award, for putting up with all that)

shutup richard - i will complain when they put you (FIVE year old) in handcuffs...happy?

"As a teacher, I'm interested to know how all these people who suggest "putting her in a room by herself" plan on getting her into the room. Obviously, the teachers are not allowed to lay a hand on the child ----- due to ridiculous and inadequate educational statutes. Do you think she's going to go to that room of her own free will?"

The idea that it would have been abusive for a teacher to take hold of the girl when she was being violent and hold her until she stopped but that it's not abusive to treat a five year old like an adult criminal seems really odd. If indeed that is the case, then it reinforces what I said earlier - there are more signs everyday that something is rotten in the state of Florida. Problem after ridiculous problem seems to be coming from that state. The problem is systemic. It's not that the particular officer or particular teacher weren't doing what they were supposed to, it's that the expectations of all their positions led to such an absurdity. Certainly the parents had a role, but out of control courts and legislature created the legal situation where the teachers couldn't reasonably react to a bad situation without it escalating to that point.

I first would like to start off as saying that the child was not having a tantrum she need to be left alone and it was plan to SEE that the principal was aggeratation the child SHE made the situation worst. The principal should be fired, cause she put on a good performance, little did she know that the tape that was supppose to help her, hurt her in the end. The principal needs to be sued, the cops need to be fired and sued and the school board needs to be sued and their policies need to change on handling a FIVE YEAR OLD. AND AS FOR THE COPS I WONDER IF THEY WOULD OF LIKED THEIR CHILD TO BE HANDLED IN THAT WAY.I know in my heart that if that was a white child the police would of never been there.And this is not a white black thing and I am not racist but why was all three officers white , and why did three officers needed to be there, and why did all three officers put their hands on her one would have been enough come on now .Im outraged at the cops and I wish to god that was my child cause trust and believe my picture would have been up there right along with my childs and it wouldnt have been pretty.And I really hope this childs mother pulled her out of this school. Oh how lucky they should feel that it wasnt one of my children. And I hope her mom gets everything she deserves and I really hope people think about there actions before they move and act. I have seen the video several time and that child wasnt doing anything a normal FIVE YEAR OLD does but talking back. That principal needs to be put in handcuffs, and think about this if her child was doing what she was doing would she accept that treatment for her child........THINK BEFORE YOU ACT AND REALIZE THAT TIMES HAVE CHANGE, AND IF YOU DONT CHANGE WITH IT, YOU WILL BE IN A WORLD OF TROUBLE, like you are NOW................

and to shark you are so stupid cause that child was not going nuts look at the video you moron and please learn the difference between nuts and being aggervated. That principal had that video tape on and running and she created that whole episode and played it to be just what she wanted it to be.She knew exactly what that child was going to do and she MADE,YOU HEARD MADE IT HAPPEN .....

I think that 5-year old really lost her temper and acted like a psycho path. I'm sick and tired of hearing liberal phonies whine and gripe about how the principle and teachers weren't suportive, how we're suppose to understand the family back-ground, and how "mean" the police officers were while they handcuffed the girl. Believe it or not, the 5 year-old was given lots of chance to listen to the teacher to stop her tantrum and clean up her mess. But no, miss crybaby had to punch her teacher and also attempted to hit the principle on several occassion. Too bad the good ol' paddle wasn't used to shut that 5 year-old up. If I were the teacher, I would have strapped the girl to a chair and duct tape her mouth. I'm not an old fart who grew up in the 40s. I'm a young male, 23 years old, and don't like the "lax" education system the USA has. I'm originally from Taiwan, and if you misbehave...even talk back to the teacher, you get spanked...period. I'm just appalled at how young students can behave in the US towards their elders. There's just too much lawsuits against teachers and school administration these days in the US. This is what's intimidating teachers and principles from rightfully punishing students who misbehave...and that 5 year-old is a classic example of a young psychopath who needed to be restrained by a police.

That child needed more than handcuffed! This morning I heard on the Today show that the mother of the child said her child was videotaped as some sort of setup. Give me a break woman!!! Nobody FORCED that child to hit another person or throw things! When are parents going to take responsibility for their child's actions instead of blaming the rest of the world?! That mother should have supported what those officers did and reinforced it to her child instead of making like it's some sort of setup or racial thing!

Someone asked about schools being gunshy of lawsuits... DAMN RIGHT! This mother is the REASON schools have to make videotapes of these kinds on incidents to protect their own ass!

If the police have had to deal with previous incidents involving this child or her parents' (as indicated in a prior thread), then good for them for following through with taking the steps they warned they would!

In my day, I would have gotten a spanking at school, AND when I got home!!

My hat's off to those officers and the school employees!!!!!!

WHAT DO YOU PEOPLE NOT UNDERSTAND -- SHE IS A FIVE-YEAR OLD GIRL.

Children are going to have tantrums! PERIOD!
You may not hear about them to that extent... but they do happen. Do any of you people have darling children?

Anyways, did any of you hear the videotaper person saying 'Can we get more video'? That is totally fucked up. FUCKED TO THE MAX! This outrages me to think that this is happening in society.

The school had no right to do anything... call the parents and let them deal with it. The school employees seemed to try to encourage her. The girl was standing on the table and wanted to get down... so what did the teacher do? Put her down... When it was something okay that she was doing, they would help her. But they kept talking to her to egg her on.

I can't think straight after I have seen this footage.

I'm sick of what this world is coming to. People are bastards.

The mother planned the whole thing to cash in on a lawsuit. Her ducks were already lined up and the event went off just as predicted, unless the little girl got into the mom's stash of crack.
IMHO

April Wright:

You are the one who is acting racist in your reaction to this incident!! Got that? As well as others who see this as white cops doing something outrageous to a black girl. You april are the one bringing race into the equation.

Also, April, it is your reaction that is causing our schools to react the way they did in this incident. Your reaction is to sue and that the mom should get everything that is coming to her, obviously you mean money. That is absurd. The mom should be reprimanded as well as the child. The mom is being more negligent with her children than the cops or the teachers here. The fact is for you there would not have been any satisfactory handling of this situation. Whatever happened you would have cried SUE THE SCHOOLS AND THE POLICE, instead of focusing on the real problem which would be this child's upbringing.

What you are seeing here is a result of people's lack of personal responsibility and sue everyone for your misfortunes mentality. This mother deserves nothing! She should be scorned by her community for allowing her children to act this way.

samantha I don't think you were thinking straight while watching the footage!

The girl was standing on the table and wanted to get down... so what did the teacher do? Put her down... When it was something okay that she was doing, they would help her.

What?? That's not what I saw, I saw a kid climbing up on the table and being taken down multiple times by the teacher. This was no tantrum, this is a problem child! She is taking away time from every other student in that school. Obviously she can not be controlled by this school and needs special care (more likely a good spanking and some discipline in her life).

The school had no right to do anything... call the parents and let them deal with it.

Did you watch and listen to all of the videotape? They did call the mother, but she couldn't be bothered to come until 3 PM. I'm not sure what time this little terror started her rampage, but it's obvious that the mom couldn't come right away. Interesting too that you think the school had no right to do anything, considering that is obviously what the school thinks too. They didn't do anything, they let the cops take care of it.

the mom is probably like 15 years old, i mean, any child behaving like that never ever got disciplined. what the hell are people (APRIL WRIGHT) talking about??? boo hoo, that poor kid...at the age of 5 she knows how to pull off some very convincing crocodile tears, and her mommy wants some media publicity to make cash, to top out that crack bag (NEW DEVELOPMENT - was that kid tested for drugs??)

PS - April are you a teacher? What district, im never ever letting my kid go near you...

anyone have a link to the whole video?

http://www.sptimes.com/2005/04/22/Southpinellas/Video_shows_police_ha.shtml

the links for the video are right under the headline...

This incident is just more proof of the alarming increase in the number of irresponsible parents who probably should have given more thought to having a child in the first place. The 5 year old girl's mother apparently expects the daughter's teachers and school administrators to step in and take over parenting duties, but only on the mother's terms.

Instead of criticizing or punishing the school, the girl's mother should be ordered by the courts to take classes in parenting.

why doesn't everyone be a teacher for a year or two and see just how little you can do without being sued. Touch a child=big law suit, unless the parents think exactly the way you do, they still might sue to pay off that house and three cars.
When I was a first year teacher, I lost it and yelled at a student in ways I save for my dearest friends that need a good "wake up call". I immediately called "mom" and confessed to my mistake. This mother, through knowing me as a teacher and seeing how much time, effort and love I gave to my students replied with, "he can really push those buttons, huh... he probably deserved every word of it." I aslo went straight to my administrator to tell him the same thing I told 'mom". Two days later I confronted the student, apologizing with humility. He said, "you know what... I deserved it for the way I treated you."
This could have eneded with a law siut and the family of the student owning my single wide trailer and old truck, what else would they have got from my $23,000 salary?
Teachers are paid crap, so what, most of us love it despite this! We risk our whole life's assests everytime we interact with a student. I for one, refuse to bend to the intimidation of liability. I allow my music students to practice at lunch in the band room with no teacher present. I have been told numerous times this is a liability issue waiting to blow open. So if I follow suggested rules to avoid any type of law siut I must provide a less quality education. Isn't responsibility something we should teach. How many times have I said to a responsible student, "I wish I could let you do this, it would be a great learning experience, you are obviously mature enough to handle this, but because the way liabilty is these days, I can't allow you to do it."
Though sometimes, I do things I shouldn't because I care more about the student than my self (the fear of being sued). I see it as a "no brainer", but like so many other "fear" driven actions in America, most teachers actions are dictated by the possiblity of being sued.
To the idea of putting this child in a room byherself, silly rabbit, that's against the law! Consult a school district attorney to get up-to-date laws on what a teacher can and can't do, before saying what should have been done!

Where's Congress
Why isn't Congress involved in these issues before they explode? After all, its federal monies that have caused all these inequities in the first place. What are they doing with our time and money? They steal our money and allow and fund local bureaucracies to run rampant like in this case. We have a dead beat Congress! Wake up Congress! Do something real for once. Parents and their children are under attack by criminal bureaucrats who are scheming against the American People and the World. In New Hampshire they are allowing Catholic Grandmothers to kidnap children using federal monies despite the fact that several states have declared Grandparent rights unconstitutional. Parents have no rights in the United States anymore. So what right does a parent have to discipline their child. Ask the U.S. Supreme Court and Dept. of Justice what happens to good parents who are even accused of disciplining their children. Call the U.S Supreme Court Justices and ask them what they did to my little girl on behalf of Catholics! And by the way people, child molestation by the police is normal in New Hampshire. They don't get prosecuted like black pop stars.

Nazi's
I agree with the mother's attorney. The actions of the school officials and police are not only "absurd and excessive" they are conspiritorial in nature and are criminal violations under the U.S. Const., and laws. The minor child of tender years was in the care and custody of school officials at the time of the alleged acting out. If school officials can not handle this situation without involving the police they are not only incompetent, they are defrauding tax payers of monies and should not be allowed to be around children under any circumstances. What kind of person puts handcuffs on babies? These acts are criminal and the police and school officials should be prosecuted by the United States Department of justice for their criminal violations against a child.

New Hampshire is worse than Fla.
If you think Fla is a bad place to live, you aint seen nothing yet. In New Hampshire Police routinely go into the public schools and harass children and their parents. The police engage children in communication and instruct them to tell them if their parents dicipline them in any manner. Then they exploit that information and destroy families. In my case,the police and the New Hampshire Supreme Court took my child from me for allegedly hitting her one time with a belt; which isn't true. Then they put her with a Grandmother State Corrections officer who lives with a convicted pedophie. The U.S. Supreme Court and the U.S. Dept. of Justice are allowing federal monies to be illegally used by state bureaucrats to wage war against non-catholic families.

After reading the earlier posts from April and Samantha, my blood began to simmer. Then I drove to the supermarket, where this idiot was parked next to a cart corral, and her 3 kids, all under the age of eight, were standing and swinging on the corral's railings. I called this to the attention of store security, lest they get sued, were one of those "precious little ones" to get injured.
I've had it up to here with parents who possess this "in-your-face" mentality, and think that everyone else is going to stand by and smile through gritted teeth, while their brats do just about whatever they please. They need to clue into the fact that the earth, sun, and moon do not revolve around them and theirs...

I think the cuffs were over the top and the cops should have handled it differently

What the hell is the cop supposed to do? They're trained to subdue violent adults. Should he put the kid in a choke hold? Taser her? pepper spray her? Bad as it looks, using the cuffs was actually the most effective and humane option he had available.

Christine-

Don't let ignorant racists like April get you angry. Lord knows, with her attitude, her kids will be handcuffed also someday

Thanks, Shark! I was thinking the same thing. I hope that when the little Florida girl sees the video clips of herself, a few years from now, she will be sufficiently embarrassed to have learned a lesson or two.

to all so called educators
When teachers can not take responsibility for their own actions and call the police on a five year old child intrusted to their care and then blame the child then we need to stop paying them welfare! Considering the inadequate education and abuse (sexual and otherwise) children are receiving in the public schools I am baffled as to why we continue to fund public schools. Teachers these days seem more concerned with working with police and mental health (I refuse to call them professionals because they are not)special interest devils and destroying children than they are in educating them. These bureaucrats, individually and collectively are the ones that started the propaganda that parental discipline is a form of child abuse. This caused parents to fear having their children removed by state bureaucrats if they were turned in by school officials should the child complain. Children are being taught a false message based on this bureaucratic propaganda. Clearly, there is a consequence for their actions; the school official bureaucrats call the cops on five year olds and have them arrested. These criminal bureaucrats have been doing this to our children for years. People are only now waking up because this one was caught on tape and concerns a five year old girl. America, the land of the free. Ya right. And I'm a white male saying this! Wake up america. Stop letting these deadbeat bureaucrats from further trampling our rights and liberties under color National Security, et al. Call your Congress deadbeats and let your voices be heard.

This never would have happened to a 5 year old white girl. Could you ever imagine a little blond-haired, blue-eyed kind being mistreated like this in America? Never! It's inconceivable!

It's so stupid! I'm german and my country made so much wrong 60!! years ago. But when I see this pictures from your country.... This is the USA who wants to bring democracy to my country before??? A gouverment that is bring the war all over the world. A gouverment that brings 5 years old children in gate?????? Stupid!!! I read the books of Michael Moore. I believe him. I have no problems with american people. But their gouverment and the executives... Bah!!! Its not good. Its wrong.... My god. My daughter never get this here in germany. Cause its a free country. Dont care she's black or white. You brougt the freedom and the rights for the people. We got it. But you? You take it away..... Tim

Anyone who even suggests that this is the action of a group of civilised human beings is obviously a member of their peadofile ring. It's perverse digusting and pathetic. If the teachers involved are not sacked immediately and the police officers not jailed then I call on any decent american to destroy this excuse for a school. I hope this does not only require the attention of the black community...the white community should also show their disgrace. May lightening strike the three sick police bullies and may they burn eternally in hell....joined by the rest of you cowards who believe in the abuse of 5-year-olds. By the way....tell them to read Piaget....kids are not ready for maths at 5. Thick fuckers. If anybody would be good enough to give me a contact number for the school and the police station I would greatly appreciate it.

Most of these latest responses show how we have forgone with the concept of personal responsibilty. It's all blame the school, blame the cops, blame everyone else except the parent of this problem child. Schools can't do anything without fear of litigation, however now according to all of you saying this is outrageous, they can't call the cops either when the parent refuses to show up until later. For all you arguing about the cops, do you think the mom should be held somewhat responsible too?

This whole incident is a result of groupthink PC bullshit where we try and talk everything out. It doesn't work without some sort of punishment first.

And all you naysayers from other countries must have the most perfect lives where nothing goes wrong in your country. Worry about yourselves, we've been doing just fine over here for the past 229 years.

Mike you are a prick sir, if you'd like to go search around the internet you'll find some more pics of kids being abused to add to your collection. Go rub youself off against the wall you are obviously an ugly fat child abuser. Your country doesn't need anyone else? are you sure? tell you what your country doesn't need, YOU and your paedofile friends and it's about time the rest of the world was rid of people like you too. Are you not bothered how this looks to the rest of us and what impression it gives of your country? I think (hope) that the majority of Americans do care and i hope they make sure justice is done for the sake of all mankind. By the way Mike....did I mention you were a sub-human paedofile who would be better off in some jungle sucking the cream out of monkey's cocks. (I can see you nodding your head from here)

Neil,
I will only feed you this one time. Re-read my posts and now read yours. Who do you think has the better grasp of reality and the higher intelligence? (I can see you nodding your head from here)

There we go then You have just proven that you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. Define intelligence Mike; I don't need to say anymore because anyone who has studied the concept knows what I'm saying, you obviously won't because you've been studying pics of kiddies instead. Blame the parents if you like but if I'm not mistaken that is not a parent I see in cuffs in that video. All I see is cruelty and paedofilia and anyone who condones it deserves to rot in hell. By the way your country is only a feed-off from the UK which makes us just as bad unfortunately.

Anyway, there's my challenge...define intelligence and (here's a clue) compare it to the real natives of your country who by the way were doing great for thousands of years before we sent idiots like you there to spoil it.

Pretty judgmental bunch, aren't we? On both sides of the issue.

But here are the things we don't know: we don't know if the child is "spoiled," or mentally ill, or physically ill.

We don't know if the mother did not pick her up at once because she was irresponsible, or because she is the sole support of her family and her job would be in jeopardy if she left.

We do not know what kind of discipline, if any, that the child receives at home.

We do not know definitively whether there was a previous episode with this child and the police or not.

We do not know whether or not the associate principal had an ulterior motive in taping this episode.

We do not know the cause of this tantrum, nor whether it was due to lax discipline at school or home, nor whether it was aggravated by school authorities for reasons of their own.

We do not know what was going on in the mind of this child, nor in the mind of her mother, nor in the mind of school authorities and the police.

We do not even seem to know what happened in the tapes; although I assume most of us have seen them, it would also seem that if one hundred of us saw the tapes, then we experienced one hundred different versions.

We don't know an awful lot, do we? And yet that doesn't prevent us from passing on holier than thou judgments, does it?

Ignorance in this case is not bliss; it is arrogance.

We do know that the child was only 5 years old and we ALL know that you shouldn't handcuff a 5 year old' I'm also a bit more informed than perhaps I'm impressing having studied Intelligence, child psychoogy, social psychology, cross cultural studies and cognitive psychology to name but a few and all at degree level. The studies all say that this was a stupid and cruel act with no benefit to the community, child or parent whatsoevever if fact just the opposite. There are a number of reasons why the child has acted up and carried on being aggressive and in fact I think you may find that the child actually calmed down when the police came because that's when she felt safe. So what do they do? hancuff the poor little thing. Shamefull, don't you have to know anything to be a teacher or police officer in that part of the USA?

The pursuit of truth or the pursuit of knowledge, two very different things, Neil. So many are intelligently ignorant, wouldn't you agree. Not in your case. You are intelligent! Engage!

Ignorance seeks to justify seperation, while truth seeks to heal it. Why don't you work on that for a century or two?

Oh yea, all you "poor little girl" er's. Why aren't you standing up for the Iraqi children dying everyday, or the Sudanese children or... the list goes on? Why do you not cry for the thousands of birth defects in Iraq due to our military's depleated plutonium ammunition (Gulf War Syndrome for those PC'ers)?

It's so interesting, the # of interpretations of responsibility.

What if the kid hurt herself in this whole mess, fell off the table or cut her hand while smashing the candy dish? =School/teacher get sued. They weren't doing their job, right?

Kid doesn't get hurt, she is supervised at all times as required by law. =School/teacher get sued. They weren't doing their job, right?

Kid runs past another student while supervised (but not within reach) and stabs student with pencil in fit of rage. =School/teacher get sued. They weren't doing their job, right?

Someone please explain to me a legal, safe alternative to what happened. The rule is though: you must assume liability. No breaking the law. now....... go!

The child was in control. The teachers were doing what they could. The police were neccessary because there were no in between options available to the school. The police may be required to cuff anyone they take into custody. I don't know.

I do not know why the child acted up in the first place. I do know know if the child is diciplined at home or not. Mayee the mother has not control. Maybe the mother has total control and beats the kid. I do not know.

I do know that I was beat far beyond decipline by a mother out of control. I acted out at school. I got paddled many times at school. The paddling was nothing compared to the abuse I got a home, so school padling did not no good. I did not get better until I got away from an abusive mother. A mother who was so proud of how well her children behaved. They behaved well becasue they were terrified.

Now for those who assume that I am totally against corporal punishment. No, I am not totally against it. For those who think I am claiming abuse when I was just being punished. I will tell you a little about my my abuse. I had my mothers ffingernail scratches on my neck from several times when she grabbed my by the throat and dug her nails in, I have been many times lead aroung the house by my hair while being screamed at and called ass ass ass..... I had a mother who did the best she was capable of. Her best was not good enough. She would loose control and beat on us until she wore out. She has broken many objects across my body. She let her boyfriend slap me around util I wa bloody, but he at least got on his knees in front of me and let me hit him back. He is the one who took the paddle from her at his parents house bacause he did not want them to see what she does. He only hit me that one day. He tought me to fight back. That fighting back is what lead to my taking the paddle away from my mother after she had hit my bare behind five times. That is what the school did, They never gave me more than five swats for any one incident. I considered that reasonable. I was in the 7th grade.

When I took the paddle away from my mother, I told her that I got what I deserved but any more was abuse. When she reached for the paddle I would knock her hands away with the other hand. To prevent me blocking her hands, she held my arm in her teeth. We danced around the room this way until she was getting worn out. I submitted then to let her hit me a couple more times to re-establish that she is a parent who has the right to punish her child. But my point was made. That day I was able to avert what would have been another long miserable night of yelling and beatings. I had taken the adult role for those few moments.

The point of the telling you all this is to show that it is wrong to assume the child is not spanked at home. An to point out that spanking is sometimes totally ineffective.

Oh I should tell you that my wife and I dissagree about how much the teachers should be allowed to do. She is totally against the teachers being able to hit a child because she was abused by a teacher. My wife was a very very very very shy child who never spoke in public. When called upon to address the class, she said nothing, for this she was spanked by the teacher. She still did not speak in class.

So I have reservations about how much I trust teachers to use good judgement. I do wish they could do more. I spanked my kids very very little. I may have spanked them three times each in their lives. They were not a discipline problem in school. They learned that there were consequences for their actions. They learned that there were limits to what is tollerated without beatings. They now both work and attend college.

Back the girl in the story. The girl was in control and she know it. I do wonder if the teachers and school administrators planned to video tape the event for their own deffense. I might do the same if I had a child that was disrupting class repeatedly and I was not allowed to touch the child.

If I was in that situation and allowed to do as I see fit, this is what I would have done. It is the same thing I did with my own children when they were very young. How I would handle the immediate situation has nothing at all to do with the cause of the behavior or anything that preceeded the event. I would first take the child out of the room. If it meant dragging, then dragging would happen. It is the childs choice to walk or be dragged. Usually that is all that is needed to wake a child up to the fact that the behavior will not be tollerated. If the child continued to be distructive and violent, I would sit down with the child in my lap. I would wrap my arms around the child and let the child wear herself out if she chose to do so. The behavior is stopped the child works out whatever is troubling her, and she learns that I am in control but I will not harm her. She would have the needed touch of another human. I do not think restraining the child as descibed would sold all her problems. It may not work for a very small number of chldren with particular mental disorders. For most children, it will solve the immediaate problem and likely never be needed again.

Repeatedly telling the child to do something and not backing it up with actions teaches the child that you are not in control and that what you say does not matter. The child figured out who mattered and who didn't. We need to allow the teachers to touch children. They need to maintain control. You can have a load and routy class room and still be in control. It is a matter of the children knowing what is tolerated in the given situation and knowing that you have the power the change the situation. I do wonder if the teachers and priciples do know better how to control children but found that the things they normally do were not effective for this child. Again, I do not know, but I suspect they choose this time to tape record the behavior while being so overly careful of what they said and did. This would allow them to show that the child was disruptive but not get them in trouble. They were, no doubt, aware they were being taped and wished to avoid even using a harsh tone of voice for fear of being accused of doing something wring. I find it had to believe they are that nice all the time when a child acts out at school. I think it likely they tried more stearn things long before resorting to taping and calling the police.

So. Don't beat the kid. Give teachers the tools they need to maintain control so they do not have to resort to calling the police.

In Reply To Peter:
Your wrong about it being purely a racist issue.
Evil doers (the police) rape and murder white woman and children too. Why do you think so many children go missing in this country every year and they are never found? In response to this issue look how little time and money is spent. Here in the U.S. the people are so ignorant they gave up their liberty to corrupt police and other over paid bureaucrats. In New Hampshire the Catholic influenced police controlled courts kidnaped my five year old, blue eyed blonde and put her in the home with a convicted pedophile. But I'm a white male so no one gives a damn. God will punish the people of this nation for their deliberate indifferrence. Its the Peoples fault for not demanding Congress to wake and do its damn job.

the girl was going nuts. ergo, the arrest was absolutely necessary. i don't think i need to comment on way children of certain ethnic backgrounds are raised.

What a sick country America is... areesting a kid in the age of 5...

wow, what do we feel great, look at us, we can arrest a 5 year old, i get more and more respect to people to destroy America the way it's now

FAO hmm...I think (hope) you'll find that the police did break the law. A simple solution was to let the child have some time out to calm down and then explain what was bothering her. Not rocket science is it? I have no doubt in my mind whatsoever that the child is generally disciplined too harshly leading to the fight or flight response we see in the video. That is a child that is scared. Bottom line is she was sitting calmly when the police lifted her and handcuffed her, please explain why that was neccessary for a 5 year old that was calm at that point? I wasn't going to mention Iraq etc by the way but since you did wasn't that a joint effort by mine and your glorious leaders too? are you telling me that what happened is ok simply because some kids get worse? Wise up and read up on some proper studies instead of quoting your nonsense out-of-date philosophical wisecracks. Fact...kids who are bullied often become bullies. comment on that for starters.

itismedavid said the right thing, that arrest was just a little too far. I mean come on she's five years old. I understand that she was ver outraged and just couldn't be handled. But as far as police being brought in? You don't know what that little girl goes through at home, it may mean a cry for help. Society is like locked her up, take her to jail. Now she is really going to be traumatized for life. She not going to trusr educators or law emforcement. She probably needs some counseling down the line.

Thank heavens for that yoyo, a little bit of sense at last. Not a bit over the top though....WAY OVER THE TOP to the point where it was criminal. Society has to offer something better than that to a 5 year old kid for heavens sake.

Wow Neil,

Who would think that a man so intelligent as yourself, with so many degrees, and the ego to let everyone else know how much more insight you have into these matters, would use the term:

"By the way Mike....did I mention you were a sub-human paedofile who would be better off in some jungle sucking the cream out of monkey's cocks."

I only have one degree, but am still not able to come up with such eloquent rebuttals as this one.

Your views (and useless degrees) are part of the problem and the reason behind a lack of discipline at home and schools.

My useless studies have obviously enhanced my knowledge more than yours has. Keep rubbing.

I am the adoptive mom to two children with FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder) and that child in the video tape could easily be one of my children. When a child is prenatally exposed to alcohol - even just one episode of binge drinking- the brain can be permanently damaged in the areas of impulse control, mood regulation, abstract thought and consequence learning, among others. Students with FASD are often unable to process multi-step auditory directions and they often struggle in math (which apparently was the subject that this child was involved with when her frustration caused her to have an outburst)- even if their IQ is in the normal or above average range.

Most children are never properly diagnosed because there is a lot of blame and shame associated with this diagnosis, but they receive labels like ADHD, ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder) and the newer DBSD (Disruptive Behavior Spectrum Disorder). FASD is more common than Down Syndrome, Spina Bifida and Muscular Dystrophy combined and yet doctors continue to advise pregnant women that moderate drinking won't hurt the baby and our society continues to blame children for behaviors that just might be beyond their control.

I saw a frustrated little girl in this video and professionals who were "shadowing" her like a basketball player on defense saying things like "that is not appropriate". This only escalated the unwanted behavior. The child then achieved the desired behavior...calm...and she was handcuffed at that point. Unwanted behavior was fueled and desired behavior was punished.

What I find even more disturbing is that educated and mature adults on this board are condemning a child for striking out in frustration and yet they are suggesting that the only way to deal with her behavior is by striking her.

An excellent post Look Deeper. You describe one of many possible explanations very well indeed. To treat the child in that way AFTER she is calm (and it shouldn't happen at any stage) actually serves to reinforce bad behaviour. An excellent point about the consequences of spanking as a punishment also. I just hope that the people who deal with this case have your knowledge.

I agree with some about the spanking but not to abuse the child this whole incident started at home because when I was growing up my Mom only had to look at us and we knew,If we went to school and acted up we knew that we would get it so we didnt. The parents now days dont put that fear in these kids they are afraid because of the system is now designed to tell the kids if your not getting your way or you think your parents are abusing you can call the police or report them. That little girl knew she could do it thats why she did and she knows that no one can do anything to her cause obviously her parents dont.why would the police say to her you remember me that means there is something else going on he visited her before so it was the right thing for the staff at the school in taping this and calling her parent but her Mother would not leave work, I dont care where I work or who tells me I cant leave my Child comes first, this shows that there is no Love there something is missing. This little girl is smart , I keep hearing people say she must have add or adhd no she just have what you call trying to get her way this may work at home to act out and get her way but not everyone will put up with it. The parents are going to have problems but it couldnt be me I would have nip that in the bud at first sight. Good Luck to them.

I have been a 4th grade teacher in the inner city for 5 years now. Prior to that I was a substitute in the inner city for a year. While working as a sub, I was called to do a 2 month assignment for a kindergarten teacher. She had a student go into a rage simialr to this little girl, instead of calling police, they tried to talk him out of it and wait for mom to arrive (as many of you are suggesting should have been done) His behavior continued to escalate and he began punching the teacher (as this girl does the Asst. Principal) he ended up knocking her to the ground and tore her rotator cuff, she had to have surgery and was in a sling for almost 4 months and needed intensive therapy. When I began teaching her class I was told that this child would not be allowed back inthe school. After a 11 day expulsion (after all "he's only 5" you couldn't punish him too much) he returned. On his second day back he began throwing a tantrum. He grabbed a plastic bag and was holding it over his head saying he would kill himself with it. I tried to remove the bag and he became violent hitting and kicking me. While I was calling the office for help (on the wall phone) he lept off of a chair and landed on my back and began scratching me and twisting my arm screaming "I'll sned you to the hospital too" He was kicking and hurting me so much I ended up falling with him still on my back. My arm hit the edge of a wooden chair and instantly began to swell. I had to go to the hospital for x-rays but luckily it was not broken, it turned black and swelled like a baseball and I needed a sling for 2 weeks but I wasn't nearly as bad off as the first teacher. The police were not called by the school at first but I did file a police report, I did not request that charges be pressed, but after 2 such violent outbursts I was concerned that the next time his behavior wouold be directed at another student who could be seriously injured. Also, if no one ever involves the police then if something big happens people say "well, he doesn't have a history with the police, lets give him a warning" I wanted a record of his behavior so that if it escalated (like the 6 year old in Michigan about 6 years ago, he brought a gun to school and shot a little girl because she didn't like him) I could at least know I did my part.

So for those of you talking about this helpless little five year old, it is Bull. 5 year olds know right from wrong. Honestly how many of you allow your children to repeatedly punch and kick you as this child was doing to the Asst. Principal? I can't believe she had the restraint she did not to physically restrain the girl (which in cases such as this IS allowable in Ohio)

In defense of the school administrators:

Any time a school employee places their hands on a child, whether passively or aggressively, the child's parent sues the school and presses charges against the employee. It's a historically proven fact. Now, have you never had to place your hands on your child when they were having a tantrum? No? Not ever? Then you need to take a more active role as a parent before your child winds up in prison.

In defense of the police:

Handcuffs is all the police know. If you don't want your child in handcuffs don't sue the schools. Don't scare your school administrators into calling the police. Keep police out of our schools by raising children who do not pose a threat to the safety of my children. And allow the administrators the powers of a parent. They spend more awake time with your children than you do, and you tie their hands behind their backs. What do you expect?

This kid wasn't shot with a taser gun, hit with a billy club, or thrown to the floor. She was put in handcuffs, and hopefully learned a lesson!
Kids need to learn there are consequences for their actions. Too many kids these days don't learn this very important lesson, and this is why so many are growing out of control. Unfortunately, the mother getting pissed off at the school and cops only sends the wrong message to this kid. This kid will now think she can act any way she wants and mom will keep her out of trouble. If this was my kid, I would be very embarrassed. She would be apologizing to the principle and I would be thanking the cops for helping teach her a lesson. Anything short of this would be condoning her behavior.

Julianne...if you and your colleague have suffered the injuries you say at the hands of a 5 year old then it's you two who have played the system for compensation. Honestly never heard so much rubbish in my life...I take it you both HAD to retire then? Also if there are police out there who only know handcuffs even when dealing with a 5 year old get rid of them fast. It's not the children who have produced the compensation culture that is rife in the USA it's adults so handcuff them and don't take the problems you have caused for yourselves out on a 5 year old girl. Honestly, it beggars belief it really does. The rest of the world are laughing at you and crying for your children and whilst they do you continue to tell other cultures how they should live. I feel for the decent citizens of the USA. Goodbye and good luck. I await news of the arrest of the officers responsible and the sacking of the useless teachers (who no doubt will want compensation for trauma) sheeeesh.

Neil,
Please let us all know what enlightened country you are from? And what university or universities did you earn all those impressive degrees from as well? I'm just curious so we could all study your country and its policies so we can learn. Where is that perch from which you cast your aspersions at the US?

I want to make the observation, since I have lived with it: mental illness does exist in children. I have also lived with the cruel condemnation from all the "perfect" parents, teachers, principals and observers who believed that my child's behaviors were due to my faulty parenting (or abuse) - condemnation (and suspicion) that, coupled with the exhaustion from dealing with my child's behaviors, just ground me down.

And since I grew up in a "perfect" family, and was myself a "perfect" child, I was only prepared to deal with another child like myself, my siblings and my friends. Traditional parenting did not work for my adopted child, who was first diagnosed with ADHD and later with child onset bipolar disorder and suspected fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. To those of you who think ADHD is not real, get out of the dark ages!

Some five year old children do not have the capacity to regulate themselves any better than a two year old. This is not always due to lack of discipline, on the one hand, or abuse, on the other. Sometimes this is due to mental illness, developmental disorders, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder [brain damage], etc.

I cannot say whether this child's reactions were within the norm or not. Certainly I did not see the violent tantrumming or raging comparable to what I saw in my own child. I did see a child monopolizing the adult attention [ie being largely rewarded for her misbehavior] and I think it must have been very confusing/traumatic when the game suddenly changed. I saw a child who appeared unable to accurately perceive the intention of the adults (teacher and principal) and thought she was playing a game, until the police arrived. The jumping up on the table and being set down on the floor, reminded me of nothing so much as a baby repeatedly throwing its toys on the floor to be fetched by the parent - a game.

I agree with those who said that isolating the child in a room would be the preferred way of dealing with this behavior (withdrawing attention rather than providing more attention to the behavior). As for this not being allowed, it is in some states. As for teachers not being allowed to touch a child, that is state by state also. I would often arrive at the school to pick up my child, who would have several adults laying on top of him on the floor.

So we put her in a room and allow her to calm down heh? What do we call that room, a jail cell? Because that is what it sounds like to me. And if she didn't calm down all you naysayers would be spouting about how they could just isolate her like she was some prisoner.

News tonight in Boston said this woman had an order that the school's teachers were not allowed to touch her if she acted out, so no wonder their hands were tied in this incident.

Neil- obviously you did not read the begining of my post where I stated that I have now been teaching 4th grade for 5 years. Obviously I did not "retire" I took 4 days off for which I was NOT paid as I was a substitute teacher at the time. The classroom teacher took off two months, as I also stated in the original post. When she returned they did have to provide a teacher's aide for her for 2 months as she had limited mobility.

How is being attacked in the work place acceptable? Neither of us sued the kid or the school though I suppose maybe we could have. Also What would you have suggested I do, allow the kid to keep the plastic bag over his head until he passed out?

Would you like to see the pictures and the other teacher's operative report? It is awefully hard to "make up" a torn rotator cuff injury and a huge blackened bruise.

Another excellent post Anna. You may be touching on the ability of a child to de-centre (view a situation from another persons perspective) It has been proven that this occurs at different ages in children but is certainly not present at birth (read Piaget's stages of child development). It is thought that in some children the ability to de-centre doesn't occur until 9 years old although it does generally occur younger. Certainly 5 years old is too young for this ability to be taken for granted.

Julianne....I was a glazier for 18 years before I re-trained, I could show you pictures of injuries that would make you fill your breakfast bowl with vomit. My advice is that next time you both get out of his way. You tell me you watched a child attempt suicide in front of you and all you are bothered about is a few scratches? AND YOU'RE STILL A TEACHER??? Shame on you. The question is this....Do you think it's ok for the police to lift a 5 year old child out of a chair and handcuff her for being naughty? If the answer is yes then you have a duty to inform the parents of the children whom you teach of your extreme views.

PS I'm sorry you hurt yourself.

Neil give me a break, he was not actually attempting suicide, he was laughing about it and thought it was very funny that he was causing us all to panic.

I am not claiming that it was the worst injury in the world, but just trying to show that 5 year olds can and do cause injury to adults. I did not hurt myself, I was attacked.

Also, the girl in the video did not sit down in the chair until she saw the police come into the office. You can clearly see her look through the window, widen her eyes and then scuttle to the chair, then the police walk in. I believe she was handcuffed for the saftey of her and the police. If I ever had a child go out of control like that in my classroom I would be infavor of calling the police.

Also, in this case the mother was informed that if she did not come to the school to get her child that the police would be called. She was given ample warning to come and get the child or send someone else to get her but she chose not to. You can hear on the video that she was informed that the police would be called.