SC - Columbia - Sheriff Slams Female Student to Floor In Class - #2

[bluesneakers]

Kids are tougher than you might imagine. They see and experience situations differently than adults. What may scare us has little or no impact on them because they have youth on their side and IMO don't take things as seriously as an adult might.
Having *said* that...I think the main fear for the children was of the officer. That is my opinion.
Shame that they attend a school where they live in fear of doing the wrong thing and are cowed by this former authority figure.
I have yet to read of any students fearing the female student in this incident.
We did have a link shared that indicated there was fear of this SRO. IMO

I wonder if because she was new she was unaware of his reputation. Maybe most students know him and the threat of violence keeps them submissive when they're confronted with "I'm calling the SRO." She wouldn't know to expect it, and honestly, who would?

 

[kimlynn]

BBM-Why do you think the rules should have been different for this girl?

I didn't say the rules should be different for her. I said he made an issue of it versus trying another way to get her to respond.
Kids aren't cookie cutter the same..IMO

 

[Hope4More]

Kids are tougher than you might imagine. They see and experience situations differently than adults. What may scare us has little or no impact on them because they have youth on their side and IMO don't take things as seriously as an adult might.
Having *said* that...I think the main fear for the children was of the officer. That is my opinion.
Shame that they attend a school where they live in fear of doing the wrong thing and are cowed by this former authority figure.
I have yet to read of any students fearing the female student in this incident.
We did have a link shared that indicated there was fear of this SRO. IMO

Yo. I have my very own teenager, and am neck deep in teenagers at his school where I volunteer and with his friends who might as well live here. Many of my friends are inner city teachers and guidance counsellors. I actually really do have lots of real life experience with teenagers.

No, they're not adults. That's the point. They're halfway children and half way adults, trying to negotiate the world and figure out how to deal with different kinds of boundaries and scarier, the lack of any boundaries except those internal, and fgs, there is nothing reassuring or comforting or anything other than scary watching a person disregard authority and escalate, whether you're a teen or an adult.

 

[kimlynn]

I wonder if because she was new she was unaware of his reputation. Maybe most students know him and the threat of violence keeps them submissive when they're confronted with "I'm calling the SRO." She wouldn't know to expect it, and honestly, who would?

Good question,who would. I'm glad he is gone so no one else will be hurt. IMO

 

[kimlynn]

Yo. I have my very own teenager, and am neck deep in teenagers at his school where I volunteer and with his friends who might as well live here. Many of my friends are inner city teachers and guidance counsellors. I actually really do have lots of real life experience with teenagers.

No, they're not adults. That's the point. They're halfway children and half way adults, trying to negotiate the world and figure out how to deal with different kinds of boundaries and scarier, the lack of any boundaries except those internal, and fgs, there is nothing reassuring or comforting or anything other than scary watching a person disregard authority and escalate, whether you're a teen or an adult.

I think it would be pretty scary as a child to see a large authority figure thrash a female youth and throw her across the room.
Could be some actually respected this officer and trusted him to do no harm which makes what he did even more scary and harmful. IMO

 

[desertmama]

What I find disturbing, and actually very frightening, is that so many people think it's perfectly acceptable for children (or anyone)who are clearly not being violent, to be manhandled and abused by anyone with a badge.

 

[katydid23]

I think it would be pretty scary as a child to see a large authority figure thrash a female youth and throw her across the room.
Could be some actually respected this officer and trusted him to do no harm which makes what he did even more scary and harmful. IMO

Here is how scary and unfair he was:

Then the officer, identified as Ben Fields,*was called to the class. Robinson said when Fields*came in, he asked Robinson's friend to move a desk. According to the student, Fields then shut the girl's computer, and moved it to another desk.
The officer then began speaking with the student.
"He asked her again, 'will you move, will you move.'**She said 'no*I have not done anything wrong.; Then he said I'm going to treat you fairly. And she said 'I don't even know who you are.. And that is where it started right there."
Moments later, things turned physical..."


So he moved the computer, moved a nearby desk, which gave her time to see that this could get serious. But then he asked her several times to move from her desk, and she refused. Surely she understood that a Deputy that was called to the classroom, just because of her behavior, was not going to shrug and walk away. He told her she would be treated fairly and she said " I don't know you..." She was not even trying to meet him halfway. JMO

 

[katydid23]

What I find disturbing, and actually very frightening, is that so many people think it's perfectly acceptable for children (or anyone)who are clearly not being violent, to be manhandled and abused by anyone with a badge.

It is not a question of her being violent. It is a question of her being defiant and disruptive and preventing the class from learning anything. All she had to do was follow the simple rules. She refused to follow them and then refused to accept any consequences. If the principal asks you to come to the office then do so. A student cannot hold up class by refusing requests by teachers and administrators. I have no problem with her being forced out of her seat.

I do think it was more violent and forceful than I'd hoped. But I think that was on her. She was the one that forced the situation, imo.

 

[DexterMorgan]

Here is how scary and unfair he was:

Then the officer, identified as Ben Fields,*was called to the class. Robinson said when Fields*came in, he asked Robinson's friend to move a desk. According to the student, Fields then shut the girl's computer, and moved it to another desk.
The officer then began speaking with the student.
"He asked her again, 'will you move, will you move.'**She said 'no*I have not done anything wrong.; Then he said I'm going to treat you fairly. And she said 'I don't even know who you are.. And that is where it started right there."
Moments later, things turned physical..."


So he moved the computer, moved a nearby desk, which gave her time to see that this could get serious. But then he asked her several times to move from her desk, and she refused. Surely she understood that a Deputy that was called to the classroom, just because of her behavior, was not going to shrug and walk away. He told her she would be treated fairly and she said " I don't know you..." She was not even trying to meet him halfway. JMO

Agree. But maybe he will remember that while filing for unemployment. She started it so i finished it.

Btw. Isn't the Eric Garner choke maneuver illegal. He did try to choke her from the back very briefly. Jmo.

 

[kimlynn]

Here is how scary and unfair he was:

Then the officer, identified as Ben Fields,*was called to the class. Robinson said when Fields*came in, he asked Robinson's friend to move a desk. According to the student, Fields then shut the girl's computer, and moved it to another desk.
The officer then began speaking with the student.
"He asked her again, 'will you move, will you move.'**She said 'no*I have not done anything wrong.; Then he said I'm going to treat you fairly. And she said 'I don't even know who you are.. And that is where it started right there."
Moments later, things turned physical..."


So he moved the computer, moved a nearby desk, which gave her time to see that this could get serious. But then he asked her several times to move from her desk, and she refused. Surely she understood that a Deputy that was called to the classroom, just because of her behavior, was not going to shrug and walk away. He told her she would be treated fairly and she said " I don't know you..." She was not even trying to meet him halfway. JMO

She was lulled into a false sense of security by his 'kindness' then. She must have really been taken back when he tipped her desk back and threw her across the room...lol

 

[Sonya610]

I think it would be pretty scary as a child to see a large authority figure thrash a female youth and throw her across the room.

Ummm...if teenage children haven't figured it out then they NEEDED to be "scared".

 

[kimlynn]

Ummm...if teenage children haven't figured it out then they NEEDED to be "scared".

Not sure I understand. You think children should be scared until or unless they obey?

I'll check back later as I'm heading out for a bit.

 

[Sonya610]

I do think it was more violent and forceful than I'd hoped. But I think that was on her. She was the one that forced the situation, imo.

It looks harsh because the officer knew she would resist and he had to be darn fast and efficient. Getting a person out of one of those school desks would be darn near impossible without a lot of help or tasers or drugs unless one had the element of surprise on their side.

He told her he would get her out of that chair and he did, was she actually injured???? From what I have read she was NOT injured and that makes me think he did a phenomenal job.

IMO I am not one to rely on police, but if I had to call a cop to deal with a problem I would want this cop to show up.

 

[popsicle]

Seriously, he didn't flip the desk back. He was lifting her out of the desk when she started punching him, fighting and struggling. That is when the desk flipped. He did not flip her out of the desk. He also did not apply a choke hold. He put his arm round her clavicle vs around her chest... for obvious reasons... while lifting her out of the desk. jmo

 

[al66pine]

We have heard from two of the other students and I have yet to hear from anyone that was there that day that she did anything other than take out her phone for a peek. One even said she was apologetic about it and she insisted she had done nothing wrong.
Both students appear well spoken and polite and I have no reason to suspect they are saying anything other than what they observed that day.
My take so far is that we have a teacher that totally mishandled this situation and it went from there. IMO

She can insist that til the cows come home, but per school & dist handbooks, if she used her cell in class - 'taking a peek' talking, texting, playing a game, streaming a movie, what-ev - she did something wrong. She violated school policy and then said she did not.

Even if she had not read handbooks & signed ack form, had not listened to homeroom or class announcements (if any), etc, she should have complied w teacher's request to (put cell away or hand cell to teacher).

Not like the teacher pulled request out of his wazoo for student to strip naked & stand on teacher's desk & be recorded.
All, JM2cts.

 

[bluesneakers]

It was harsh because the officer knew she would resist, and getting a person out of one of those school desks would be darn near impossible without a lot of help or tasers or drugs.

He told her he would get her out of that chair and he did, is she seriously injured???? She isn't, therefore he did a mighty fine job IMO.

A mighty fine job that cost him his job. Brilliant work Officer Fields!

His boss fired him because: I do not feel that was proper and follows our policy and procedures. Our training unit verified that the maneuver was not based on training or acceptable.
http://www.thestate.com/news/local/crime/article41712405.html

And the student is injured.

 

[DexterMorgan]

Seriously, he didn't flip the desk back. He was lifting her out of the desk when she started punching him, fighting and struggling. That is when the desk flipped. He did not flip her out of the desk. He also did not apply a choke hold. He put his arm round her clavicle vs around her chest... for obvious reasons... while lifting her out of the desk. jmo

Look at his left hand trap her as she tried to stand and then the left hand goes underneath the table part of the desk to maximize the flip. Jmo.

And the choke hold is what made her try to rise up in the first place. Jmo.

 

[al66pine]

If it were me I would also question why taking my phone out for a second (and we haven't heard otherwise from any accounting) was just cause for taking my phone when another option would be to inform me to put my phone away and pay attention in class.
It isn't a crime...or at least it wasn't until it was made so by teacher and administrator.

"Taking phone out for a sec" * is "using ECD" (electronic communication device), a violation of policy as referred in school handbooks, which I've posted multiple times.

Handbook states consequence for 1st violation is taking device away and returning at end of day.

Sounds like 'just cause" imo. JM2cts.

______________________________________
*Yes, I've read account of a student say she was just 'sneaking a peek" I've read multiple accounts by others saying she was talking and/or disturbing/disrupting class.

 

[Sonya610]

Not sure I understand. You think children should be scared until or unless they obey?

I'll check back later as I'm heading out for a bit.

I believe humans should be capable of following age appropriate legal based instructions, and held accountable if they blatantly disregard those instructions. When a police officer has the legal right to tell you that you MUST leave an area and you refuse, being manhandled as you are removed seemed quite reasonable IMO.

If this 17 year old was NOT capable of following age appropriate instructions she should have been in a special needs class, or possibly in an institution for the mentally impaired.

 

[gdeyefaith]

I believe humans should be capable of following age appropriate legal based instructions, and held accountable if they blatantly disregard those instructions. When a police officer has the legal right to tell you that you MUST leave an area and you refuse, being manhandled as you are removed seemed quite reasonable IMO.

If this 17 year old was NOT capable of following age appropriate instructions she should have been in a special needs class, or possibly in an institution for the mentally impaired.

So all the 17 yr old's you know follow directions and are perfect angels right? Smh. Special needs and mentally impaired should not even have been brought into this at all!