Perhaps this has been hashed out already. If so please forgive this post....but this morning ABC news said that "a poll" stated that most callers believed the actions were okay....

I'm just wondering what BOLers think?

I didn't hear anything about this. What happened??

I do not think it's "ok". It was horrible. The teachers handled the situation badly (dateline (I think) played most of the tape verses the small bits you see on the news). What a way to teach the child that the police are there for you in an emergency. They scared her to death

Sure she was being a brat. But we had brats in my school at that age as well and the police weren't called.

Well, watching the video, it was probably the best way to handle the situation. The child was not listening to the adult. At least they didn't use tasers.

I heard about this and I think it is ridiculous. I would not want my 5 year old handcuffed for acting up. How bad are you going to get hurt by a 5 year old?? Come on. Crazy!!

She had calmed down by the time the police came AnOn, then they scared the hell out of her. Nice thing to do to a child.

They put her in a police car as well and received a radio call from the DA who said something to the effect of "If you think we're going to prosecute a 5 year old child you're out of your mind"

I still don't know what happened, but my daughter is almost 5 and she has some major attitude and behavioral problems. If she ever got handcuffed for misbehaving, I would be ANGRY!!!! That is unacceptable. Call the parents and send the child home. Ok, I'm gonna stop now. I feel a rant about to happen, and I don't even know the whole situation...

Apparently, the cops also made a comment to the kid about a previous arrest/incident with her mother...unreal...

From what I've read the police were way out of line. You handcuff people if they are a danger to you or themselves. It does not appear this child was a danger to anyone. She was simply acting up which kids her age do. Unless she had a weapon what harm was she going to do?

Does anyone have a link, please? I have no idea what y'all are chatting about...

I stand corrected. All I had seen was the video clip. I am ashamed I was caught up in spin... I shall have to go back and research this more on my own.

I just did a google search using the title of this thread and you get lots of links.

Here is the link on MSN:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7609741/

I do know that this snippet of a story is not the 'whole' story. We live in a small town and the police are regulary called to the schools to support a zero tolerance policy (which I have an opinion about, but that's neither here nor there) and the police deal with everything that the principals used to have to do when I went to school. I'm not saying this is right or wrong, just that I can believe it happened, it's bound to the way the schools are using the police to enforce school rules lately.

Thanks for the links.

As an aside to the debate, where on earth does a child:
1. learn this type of behavior?
2. learn that it is acceptable behavior?

I, for one, would be extremely pissed at my child for ever raising a hand to an adult.

Do I think the handcuffs were necessary? I can't tell you, I wasn't there, and the article doesn't address other concerns and incidents that this same girl had.

Rush was talking about this on his show today. Reportedly, this child was totally out of control. Teachers no longer have the right to take proper control and have the police as the only alternative. If a teachers touches a child, they are sued.

The flip side of the story is a teacher in another did take action, the parents went to the school and now this teacher is suspended while an investigation is in process.

Many years ago when I was in school we very few disorderly students. Those who became disorderly were dealt with in school and then again at home. The parents sent thank you notes to the school; not a lawyer.

Well the behavior was pretty bad...but a 5 year old, handcuffing her and placing her in the back of a police car???? I think that part was not necessary...and frankly, I would be very upset with everyone involved.

I think that the mother had been called and there are two different stories about that...the school and the mother.....

I suppose they (teachers or school officials) could not restrain her...but I think that I could have handled her even with the behavior that she was exhibiting. Now her mother and I would talk and it may be that she would leave our school for another....But I don't think that I could have called the police...or even threatened her by saying I would call the police.....

My husband teaches highschool and they have had to call the police...But these are 17, 18, 19, and even some 20 year olds....many of them bigger than he is......

This morning the news anchor interviewed her and she said that she was arrested and "didn't get to play the jelly bean game".

She is only 5 years old...that "jelly bean game" is important to her....

I know...they should have called "Super Nanny" or whatever her name is......she could have handled it....

Whatever happened to the paddle? Man, I screwed up like ONCE in elementary school... never again after that!

*RANT*
If it was my child, I would have expected a call before the police. I would have done exactly what this mother did. I would sue, if I could even keep my cool enough to do that. My child would be going to another school. I have had to pick up my child from daycare for spitting on the teacher, hitting the teacher and other kids, back talking, etc... ARGHHHHHHH!!!!
ok, done for now...

I can't say that I agree with hand-cuffing the girl, but I can see why they would call the police. Fraudman is right. Schools are much more powerless today than they were when most of us were in school.

My mother teaches 6th grade English, and was punched by a student a few years ago. The student was expelled for the rest of the year. The parents sued because the school corporation was "denying their child an education". The girl ended up back in the classroom two weeks later because the school didn't want the lawsuit.

With that in mind, I don't blame them for calling in the police. It avoids liability, and doesn't put teachers and administrators in a position to handles something they may not be prepared to handle.

The picture on MSNBC looks a little harsh (3 cops handling 1 five-year-old?). Too bad the school corporation can't sue the parents for unleashing their child on the school.

ZD

ok, calling the police, maybe... Handcuffing her NOT ok, especially since she was calm when they arrived... WHAT were the officers thinking???

My understanding is that they did call the parent first. There is apparently some dispute as to what the mother said when she was called (be there in an hour?).

What is preferred - handcuffing, or waiting until more force is required?

SHE IS 5!!!! 3 officers, one child... More force, WHATEVER!!!

Once again, at least the kid wasn't tasered.