Principal 'paddling' first grader for damaging computer

[Pink Partridge]

Let's say the mother was a nutcase and said to the principal: "I give you permission to hit my child. She is a bad girl. Hit her with a plank of wood"

Why would the principal do it?

Who is protecting the child?

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Obviously spanking was awful here. That principal is nuts!!
But...... the mom just sat there and filmed it??? Give me a break. I don't care if she is undocumented. Mom did nothing. She is as guilty if not more so than the principal for doing nothing. Absolutely she could have intervened. And now we all know she is undocumented so she couldnt have been that afraid.

Nobody would touch my kid like that with me just standing there busily filming.

More guilty than the principal? How?

 

[AndreaA]

More guilty than the principal? How?

Because as parents, we have a duty to PROTECT our kids from this kind of thing.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Let's say the mother was a nutcase and said to the principal: "I give you permission to hit my child. She is a bad girl. Hit her with a plank of wood"

Why would the principal do it?

Who is protecting the child?

One of the things that occurred to me is that this mom and the principal have it out for each other. Maybe prior encounters. The principal gets to stick it to the mom, the mom gets to get the principal in trouble (hopefully). I wasn't thinking she gave explicit permission but rather let it unfold. IDK was just a thought that ran through my head and I could be way thinking wrong on a possible scenario but it's one of the reasons why I mentioned that I get the feeling this isn't really about the child.

 

[RamblingMad]

I had a teacher growing up that would hit you with a yard stick if you acted up. That hurts.

 

[AurumPunzel]

Just for interest, in Wales and Scotland corporal punishment of any child is illegal. So neither parents nor schools can use corporal punishment against a child. Also, corporal punishment of a child taking place in Wales or Scotland cannot by justified in any civil or criminal proceedings on the grounds that it constituted reasonable punishment. England is out of step on this.

In England, it is only illegal in schools, but home corporal punishment continues to be legal. The problem is that there's still strong support for corporal punishment here, and opponents to a ban in England argue that bans have led to unruliness in the youth, and there's concerns that families holidaying in Wales and Scotland who then punish their children physically while being unaware of the law could end up being 'grassed up', and thus be put off going there.

 

[tzolkin]

Let's say the mother was a nutcase and said to the principal: "I give you permission to hit my child. She is a bad girl. Hit her with a plank of wood"

Why would the principal do it?

That's the thing. Even if the mother gave permission, corporal punishment is not legal in this particular county so why would the principal choose to paddle the child? Presumably the principal is aware that this is not permitted, yet she has a paddle in her office ready for use.

Because as parents, we have a duty to PROTECT our kids from this kind of thing.

I think that's why this is such a hot discussion. Yes, this was not allowed at this particular school so the principal was in the wrong, but corporal punishment is permitted in 19 states. That means that a good percentage of the country do not believe that it's a parent's duty to protect their children from this type of thing, but instead believe that this is a proper form of discipline that is acceptable to use in a school environment.

 

[AndreaA]

That's the thing. Even if the mother gave permission, corporal punishment is not legal in this particular county so why would the principal choose to paddle the child? Presumably the principal is aware that this is not permitted, yet she has a paddle in her office ready for use.


I think that's why this is such a hot discussion. Yes, this was not allowed at this particular school so the principal was in the wrong, but corporal punishment is permitted in 19 states. That means that a good percentage of the country do not believe that it's a parent's duty to protect their children from this type of thing, but instead believe that this is a proper form of discipline that is acceptable to use in a school environment.

Yes, but if THIS mother is now saying she was totally against it and wants the principal put in jail, then she needs to take a good long look in the mirror, because she aided and abetted.

 

[spiders]

You can't teach children not to cause physical harm because they got into an argument and then cause physical harm to the child because you got into an argument. Keep your filthy hands off of the kids. If you have a problem then put the kid in time out, assign the kid detention, suspend the kid, expel the kid but you don't get to just beat the kid. It's time to be the grown up.

 

[monsterkitty]

We also have to look at the culture of the little girl and mother. I'm a teacher in an incredibly diverse area. In may of the cultures I teach the parents believe that the teacher or principal has the power. Meaning, they have to do what the educator wants.

This doesn't make the mother wrong. It's just different than what we know. The principal probably believes the mother isn't going to question what is happening because she knows the backgrounds of the families.

You have no idea how many parents have told me over the years that if their child acts up to spank or slap them. It's what happened to them in their home country and they believe that it happens here as well.

 

[monsterkitty]

Also, the mom is probably more terrified knowing what will happen to her as an undocumented person if she's arrested. Knowing that she would lose her child if she gets arrested and possibly deported for interfering is a bigger fear than watching her child get beaten.

She had to weigh what was better and worse for her child - getting hit with a plank or possibly losing her mother.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

We also have to look at the culture of the little girl and mother. I'm a teacher in an incredibly diverse area. In may of the cultures I teach the parents believe that the teacher or principal has the power. Meaning, they have to do what the educator wants.

This doesn't make the mother wrong. It's just different than what we know. The principal probably believes the mother isn't going to question what is happening because she knows the backgrounds of the families.

You have no idea how many parents have told me over the years that if their child acts up to spank or slap them. It's what happened to them in their home country and they believe that it happens here as well.

That did occur to me, which is why it became even more puzzling the mom's lack of response but large response after the fact.

Also, the mom is probably more terrified knowing what will happen to her as an undocumented person if she's arrested. Knowing that she would lose her child if she gets arrested and possibly deported for interfering is a bigger fear than watching her child get beaten.

She had to weigh what was better and worse for her child - getting hit with a plank or possibly losing her mother.

I would have thought that if she had kept quiet about the entire incident. When you're trying to stay under the radar, if you're really that concerned (and I get it, we have that issue here and right now it's with getting minorities to get vaccinated) you do NOT typically draw attention to yourself. That's usually the last thing you do. Now she's national news. Doesn't get any more public than that.

___________
I don't want it to seem like I'm not horrified by the video because I am and the principal and colleague should have repercussions, but the voice we're hearing is from the mom and I'm just not certain all that transpired or why it transpired is being told here. Something just doesn't sit right for me beyond what most of us already feel which is no way in heck should this have happened.

 

[jerseygal]

Principal outright abused a child. He should be dismissed and never hired in a position oif Authority around children. I hope that he is prosecuted and never gets a position in a school again!

 

[momz]

I grew up during the days of corporal punishment. swats were a common thing at throughout my school days. I have to admit it was a strong deterrent to keep most kids from being disruptive. But, I also have to admit that it was generally the same kids who got swats over and over and over. Now, with my gown-up perspective. I suspect that these kids were not capable of being still and not disruptive. I don't think that swatting them for repeated offenses helped them in any way. I think it got them labeled as "bad" kids and the rest of us generally looked upon them as ne'r-do-wells.

 

[fla4fun]

I grew up during the days of corporal punishment. swats were a common thing at throughout my school days. I have to admit it was a strong deterrent to keep most kids from being disruptive. But, I also have to admit that it was generally the same kids who got swats over and over and over. Now, with my gown-up perspective. I suspect that these kids were not capable of being still and not disruptive. I don't think that swatting them for repeated offenses helped them in any way. I think it got them labeled as "bad" kids and the rest of us generally looked upon them as ne'r-do-wells.

It was around when I was growing up too. When I was in elementary and middle school, the principal or a teacher could paddle, but there had to be an additional adult witness. The parent would be notified but generally was not present. My mom had been an elementary school teacher before she married and she told us that if we misbehaved to the point we were spanked at school to expect another one when we got home. We did not get paddled at school. In fact, the only time I remember either my sister or myself getting a spanking at home was if we deliberately set out to hurt another on purpose. I think I was spanked once and my sister twice. We generally got a time out or privileges revoked.

I am surprised it’s still used though.

 

[Pink Partridge]

When I was in elementary and middle school, the principal or a teacher could paddle, but there had to be an additional adult witness.

Two abusers. How fun! One to hit a child, one to watch.

How can you even find one person to partake in such an act, especially in a school setting?

 

[wenrob]

I grew up during the days of corporal punishment. swats were a common thing at throughout my school days. I have to admit it was a strong deterrent to keep most kids from being disruptive. But, I also have to admit that it was generally the same kids who got swats over and over and over. Now, with my gown-up perspective. I suspect that these kids were not capable of being still and not disruptive. I don't think that swatting them for repeated offenses helped them in any way. I think it got them labeled as "bad" kids and the rest of us generally looked upon them as ne'r-do-wells.

I’m sure a fair amount of them probably had ADD or ADHD. I don’t think anyone thought to look at why these kids couldn’t be still. Or didn’t know to look. They put my husband in a BOX for crapsake and his mom was onboard with that plan. I can’t imagine 6-7 year olds *choosing* to be hit all the time or locked in a box. I’m glad we now know better and for the most part do better.

 

[wenrob]

Two abusers. How fun! One to hit a child, one to watch.

How can you even find one person to partake in such an act, especially in a school setting?

I don’t think permission from the parent was always the case. Must depend on where you lived. My dad didn’t know any of these stories until I was full grown and told him. I remember my stepmother finding out they paddled my stepbrother and marching into the school full on Mama Bear. It was a sight to behold.

 

[CdnCarrie]

That video should not be online for us to see!

 

[White Cat]

One good thing that comes out if it is authorities can pick them up and deport them.