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

[vestigare]

Did you watch her interview? I was impressed.

Yes, I was impressed too. She seemed compassionate.

 

[sorrell skye]

In General, Something is incredibly wrong when force has to be used to get a person to comply with a presumably polite request. A situation should never have to escalate to the level this incident did. Personally, I would have been furious with my child for being so disrespectful to the teacher and administrators. And then the LEO, his superiors, the mayor, and whoever else was so busy being right would get a load of me....

IMO I think we made the mistake of using too many Time Outs....

BBM

I agree - something is incredibly wrong when violence is the chosen method of dealing with a nonviolent incident.

I, too, would be upset with my child for being disrespectful to her teacher & school admin. She should have left the classroom when she was told to do so.

But I'll tell you this: I would be bat-outta-hell furious if my daughter had been grabbed around the neck and thrown to the floor by anyone because she refused to leave the classroom.

As far as has been reported, this student had not threatened anyone, nor had she acted out in a violent manner that would have necessitated calling a police officer into the classroom to forcefully remove her.

I'm all about personal accountability (as anyone who has followed cases with me on WS can attest). I don't give free passes to anyone - and I'm not about to give this student a free pass on her disrespectful behavior.

But a police officer violently assaulting a high school student as a response to nonviolent, disrespectful behavior in a classroom should not be something that ANYONE celebrates or promotes as a reasonable response - it should be a nightmarish scene out of a dystopian twilight zone episode that we all reject.

I reject this as the norm for the future. Although some have and will hail this kind of authoritarian violence as acceptable and justifiable, I refuse to do so.

Whenever the least of us is subjected to unwarranted violence, no one is safe.

 

[lawstudent]

rsbm -

I would have thought he was there to protect students. However have all of the schools without police officers throughout history survived, with the chaos that must have ensued without an armed LEO?

I realize the conversation has moved on quite a bit, but the reason I said "skipping past obvious debates" is because I wasn't getting into whether or not he should be there or what his duties should be, but what they are. While people probably would casually say he is there to protect the students, it is clear that in reality, a police officer's job is to keep order. Most of his protection of students is probably related to actions by other students, so he can't protect all of them in all situations at once. A police officer's job is law enforcement, not public safety. That's just a fact, not a moral judgement. Of course, they have to obey laws that regulate how they do that, but a debate over those is another issue.

 

[EllieBee]

I wonder how furious her mother is going to be with her.



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

When I was in second grade, a classmate, Donna, lost her mother to cancer. I was seven. So was Donna. The idea of my (totally healthy) mom dying was something that kept me up at night. For Donna it was not a worrisome idea, but her reality.

I remember our teachers being so compassionate to Donna, helping to braid her hair when her daddy sent her to school with her hair undone, supplementing her lunches when poor dad sent egg sandwiches (which I love) that Donna did not like, but only her Mom knew that. And those teachers gave her extra hugs and made it a point to give her special assignments as class helper.

Because that is what humans do. Act compassionately towards one another. Especially a teacher who has a student that is suffering loss and is grieving. As teachers we cannot teach without being aware of each child as a whole.

I may spend a whole morning with one child, whose daddy just got deployed to the Middle East. He may want to spend that morning talking to me about the chopper that took his daddy away and how they get to "Skype-per" sometimes before bed.

This child may be turning in sloppy work or calling everything "stupid" or even being disrespectful to me when I ask him to restore his class materials. But because I took the time to know his heartache and understand the sacrifice that our military families make, I gave that child the extra love, attention and sensitivity he needed to feel that his world was gonna be okay. Because that is what humans are supposed to do.

If you lack compassion, you are simply put, no longer human.

19We love because he first loved us. 20Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

Source: NIV Bible; 1 John Chapter 4.

I do not mean by this that only Christians are capable of compassion, but rather that as humans we ALL should show compassion. And I find this biblical verse especially poignant.

 

[Woodland]

Yes, I was impressed too. She seemed compassionate.

Yes she was compassionate - and well composed and confident. Very believable witness imo.

 

[vestigare]

16? So I guess we can ignore the posts stating she was an 18-year-old legal adult. Good to know.

I am not sure if she is a senior like earlier reoprts claimed or just in a class usually for seniors but if either is true she must have been doing alright academically to be a 16 year old taking senior classes.

Especially today where it seems everyone is 18 before they graduate.

 

[kareylou]

I love you!

Well I love you too, Margo!

 

[JeannaT]

I am not sure if she is a senior like earlier reoprts claimed or just in a class usually for seniors but if either is true she must have been doing alright academically to be a 16 year old taking senior classes.

Especially today where it seems everyone is 18 before they graduate.

It was an algebra class, that much is known. I don't know if SC follows the same curriculum Texas follows, but Algebra 1 is taught to sophomores, and Algebra II is taught to seniors, who are on the typical graduation path. To be a 16 year old (sophomore) taking Algebra II would be very unusual.

 

[JeannaT]

16? So I guess we can ignore the posts stating she was an 18-year-old legal adult. Good to know.

Right. So she's a child, in a public school system where the adults in the school system are given legal rights over her, legally termed in loco parentis. In place of parents. A teacher, like a parent, can demand custody of a cell phone during the duration of a class, and can tell a student to step out into the hallway, as could a parent.

So there ya go. Anyone thinking she has adult rights were wrong. Except of course, the right to be free from harm, which was violated with the RO unexpectedly treated her brutally when he was expected to treat her as an irritated parent would, which is to take her by the shoulders and lead her out. As was his right. As was his job. To take control of the situation, and remove the distracting child from the classroom. Unexpectedly, it went differently from what the Admin and the teacher believed it would go.

 

[vestigare]

It was an algebra class, that much is known. I don't know if SC follows the same curriculum Texas follows, but Algebra 1 is taught to sophomores, and Algebra II is taught to seniors, who are on the typical graduation path. To be a 16 year old (sophomore) taking Algebra II would be very unusual.

I know the education system today seems vastly different than when I was in highschool but algebra was never considered senior. I took algebra 1 in 8th grade and algebra ii my freshman year. Trig geometry and calculus came after.

Granted algebra ii was usually sophomore students and most never took calculus.
So I don't know what to think about any seniors being in an algebra class unless they are padding their credits.

How do get your three to four years mandatory maTh credits if you are just taking algebra 11 your senoir year? Or is this sequential math like NY has?

 

[vestigare]

Right. So she's a child, in a public school system where the adults in the school system are given legal rights over her, legally termed in loco parentis. In place of parents. A teacher, like a parent, can demand custody of a cell phone during the duration of a class, and can tell a student to step out into the hallway, as could a parent.

So there ya go. Anyone thinking she has adult rights were wrong.

She has human rights as well as US constitutional.rights.
No pArent would.ever be permitted to slam a child down for failing to hand over a phone. Nor call in the law.

 

[EllieBee]

Wonderful quotes. I just want to be certain that we don't let educators off the hook. LE didn't come storming into our schools. Educators begged that they be there. Our schools bear a responsibility in criminalizing school dscipline and creating the school to prison pipeline. I am encouraged by the teachers posting who would never allow this in their classroom. Still it happens, down the hall, down the block, or across town.

I am a teacher. I have never begged for armed gunmen to "protect" my school. I would protest with every fiber of my being police presence in my classroom.

But I model respect, which breeds respect. So, not much call for beat downs and choke holds. In fact, I can say that had I been the teacher in this instance, I would have moved myself between my student and the attacker. My training sadly has taught me how to protect children from assault.

 

[sorrell skye]

What difference does it make what level math class she was in? I recognize that some are trying to pin down her age, as if her age may or may not justify the violent treatment she was subjected to. As if one or two years age difference between 16 and 18 means anything.

The fact of the matter is: she was brutally grabbed around the neck by a police officer & violently thrown to the floor because she refused to leave the classroom.

Regardless of the level of the math class, violence on the part of the SRO was unwarranted.

I challenge anyone to convince me that the SRO was not violent.

 

[EllieBee]

It was an algebra class, that much is known. I don't know if SC follows the same curriculum Texas follows, but Algebra 1 is taught to sophomores, and Algebra II is taught to seniors, who are on the typical graduation path. To be a 16 year old (sophomore) taking Algebra II would be very unusual.

When I was in HS, before the days of written language, lol, we took pre-Algebra in 8th, Algebra in 9th, Geometry in 10th, Algebra II in 11th, and Trig in 12th.

ETA: This was in Houston ISD. Early 80's.

Many many moons ago.....

 

[JeannaT]

She has human rights as well as US constitutional.rights.
No pArent would.ever be permitted to slam a child down for failing to hand over a phone. Nor call in the law.

This is a very important point. No, school children don't have constitutional rights. If they did, they'd be allowed to come and go freely, leaving school when they felt like it, walking around the classroom at will.

I feel like everyone is completely ignoring what I'm saying, and have been saying all day The RO did something completely unexpected, and that's why this has led to this whole case. He was expected to carefully remove her and walk her out - as a parent would - and instead, unexpectedly, he tossed her across the room.

The admin was in their rights to call LE, the teacher was in his rights, and the final error happened when the RO did the unexpected. If she were led out by two adults lifting her by the armpits, as I think everyone kind of expected this to go, we wouldn't be discussing this.

But I think everyone needs to be aware that a 16 year in in school doesn't have rights. In fact, an 18 year in old in public school doesn't enjoy adult rights of being able to come and go at will. That's the school system.

 

[vestigare]

I agree her age doesn't matter to the assault she suffered.
I was saying if she was 16 in a senior class she probably wasn't a poor student as has been suggested she might have been.
I don't mean poor as in income.

What difference does it make what level math class she was in? I recognize that some are trying to pin down her age, as if her age may or may not justify the violent treatment she was subjected to. As if one or two years age difference between 16 and 18 means anything.

The fact of the matter is: she was brutally grabbed around the neck by a police officer & violently thrown to the floor because she refused to leave the classroom.

Regardless of the level of the math class, violence on the part of the SRO was unwarranted.

I challenge anyone to convince me that the SRO was not violent.

 

[EllieBee]

Right. So she's a child, in a public school system where the adults in the school system are given legal rights over her, legally termed in loco parentis. In place of parents. A teacher, like a parent, can demand custody of a cell phone during the duration of a class, and can tell a student to step out into the hallway, as could a parent.

So there ya go. Anyone thinking she has adult rights were wrong. Except of course, the right to be free from harm, which was violated with the RO unexpectedly treated her brutally when he was expected to treat her as an irritated parent would, which is to take her by the shoulders and lead her out. As was his right. As was his job. To take control of the situation, and remove the distracting child from the classroom. Unexpectedly, it went differently from what the Admin and the teacher believed it would go.

Wrong. If a parent had assaulted this child, they would be charged with child abuse and CPS would be involved.

So as long as it ain't your kid, You can beat the hell out of them?

 

[vestigare]

Wth? Of course every child has constitutional rights. Even the Sheriff reiterated that today. Children may have limited rights to certain things like freedom of speech is limited in a school setting but they still have first amendment rights. A child might fall under restrctions based on age as outlined by law but they still have.rights.

How can you.even suggest they do not?
And in pretty much.every state a 16 year old can choose.to leave school.
And considering I graduAted and was in college at 17 I think I had rights.

This is a very important point. No, school children don't have constitutional rights. If they did, they'd be allowed to come and go freely, leaving school when they felt like it, walking around the classroom at will.

I feel like everyone is completely ignoring what I'm saying, and have been saying all day The RO did something completely unexpected, and that's why this has led to this whole case. He was expected to carefully remove her and walk her out - as a parent would - and instead, unexpectedly, he tossed her across the room.

The admin was in their rights to call LE, the teacher was in his rights, and the final error happened when the RO did the unexpected. If she were led out by two adults lifting her by the armpits, as I think everyone kind of expected this to go, we wouldn't be discussing this.

But I think everyone needs to be aware that a 16 year in in school doesn't have rights. In fact, an 18 year in old in public school doesn't enjoy adult rights of being able to come and go at will. That's the school system.

 

[JeannaT]

Wrong. If a parent had assaulted this child, they would be charged with child abuse and CPS would be involved.

So as long as it ain't your kid, You can beat the hell out of them?

Maybe I should just give up on this thread. No one is reading what I am saying. What I am saying (you might not read or understand it) is that the admin, and the teacher had the right to call for RO to come escort the child out of the room. They didn't retain the right to touch the child, although they are in loco parentis they can't touch the child as a parent can, so they called the only person who could touch her and he assaulted her, despite their expectations.

I do understand the desire to gang up and pretend not to understand what I've been saying all day. Seriously.

 

[EllieBee]

What difference does it make what level math class she was in? I recognize that some are trying to pin down her age, as if her age may or may not justify the violent treatment she was subjected to. As if one or two years age difference between 16 and 18 means anything.

The fact of the matter is: she was brutally grabbed around the neck by a police officer & violently thrown to the floor because she refused to leave the classroom.

Regardless of the level of the math class, violence on the part of the SRO was unwarranted.

I challenge anyone to convince me that the SRO was not violent.

I do think it matters in that some are insinuating without any proof whatsoever that this child was a habitual problem child with whom the administration and teachers and bully cop were fed up with.

I would find it hard to believe that such a problem child who is 16 would be in
a math class for seniors. If she were such a problem, why such a good student?