To read the tribute to SFC Marcus Muralles, please click here
Monday, April 25, 2005
Cuffing the Kid
I'm sure everyone's heard about the five year old girl who was handcuffed by St. Petersburg police after throwing a temper tantrum at school.
People are up in arms because of "police brutality". Uh... no. This was a case where everything got out of hand. Let's check the facts.
some major disciplining. She was climbing on the furniture, ripping things off of the walls. She was out of control.
If it was a tantrum, that tells me something important about her family. She has learned (from where? I wonder... ) that tantrums work. If she pitches a fit, she gets what she wants. She doesn't have to do anything she doesn't want to do... a tantrum will get her out of it. We all know kids like that... you almost feel sorry for them... they'll grow up and have no idea what compromise or patience or delayed gratification means. Truly sad.
I can't help but wonder if the school was just afraid to discipline her. If their child so much as trips on the way to the principal's office, some parents will sue the district. Many school districts (one near here, as a matter of fact) do not discipline students at all- if there is any problem, they call the police.
Here is what I hope happens. I hope that little girl learned that her actions have consequences. I hope she realizes that some adults follow through when they make warnings (one of the police officers warned her that she would cuff her if she was called back). And I really hope that the mother takes responsibility for her child's discipline and doesn't sue the police for doing it for her.
People are up in arms because of "police brutality". Uh... no. This was a case where everything got out of hand. Let's check the facts.
- The police have had contact with the child before.
- The school administrators could not control her (by their own inability or fear of litigation, I'm not sure).
If it was a tantrum, that tells me something important about her family. She has learned (from where? I wonder... ) that tantrums work. If she pitches a fit, she gets what she wants. She doesn't have to do anything she doesn't want to do... a tantrum will get her out of it. We all know kids like that... you almost feel sorry for them... they'll grow up and have no idea what compromise or patience or delayed gratification means. Truly sad.
I can't help but wonder if the school was just afraid to discipline her. If their child so much as trips on the way to the principal's office, some parents will sue the district. Many school districts (one near here, as a matter of fact) do not discipline students at all- if there is any problem, they call the police.
Here is what I hope happens. I hope that little girl learned that her actions have consequences. I hope she realizes that some adults follow through when they make warnings (one of the police officers warned her that she would cuff her if she was called back). And I really hope that the mother takes responsibility for her child's discipline and doesn't sue the police for doing it for her.
