TX - A 4 year old is accused of sexual misconduct??

[Ang50]

Can we get this freak's ability to work with children removed?

Any teacher's aide who felt threatened in ANY way by a 4 year old is one not mentally, educationally, or emotionally competent to handle children.

I wonder, if in this topsy turvy non-reality world that this school district is operating in... if the principal or administration was worried that if they took this "lightly" and told the aide that this wasn't a sexual advance, that they would get sued for not doing anything about sexual harassment? So principal figured that if they punished the 4 year old instead - no harm, no lawsuit??

I'm just at such a loss to explain, but it seems plausible that this aide came in complaining about getting her rubbed, and principal thought that she would file a sex complaint if it wasn't dealt with.

 

[californiacarrie]

This is pure craziness. Even if the teacher did suspect or feel like the act was sexual in nature (which is nuts) the concern should have been whether or not the child was being molested or exposed to such behaviors at home. My god.

 

[partyuv5]

My mother was very flat chested and occassionally we would see her before she had dressed for the day. My grandmother had very large breasts. When I was a little girl, my older sister and I would spend summers with my grandparents (they lived about 4 hrs away).

There was a time that my sister and I saw my grandmother putting on her bra and we asked her if we could touch her "." (We were amazed by how large they were)! My grandma knew the mindset of children and said "yes" and that was the end of it.

My point is that there was nothing inappropriate with my situation as well as this child in the news. Why do people want to steal innocence from children? Let them be. Let them grow. Most times they are just courious!

 

[mysteriew]

People are weird, so the aide's response didn't suprise me so much. But the school's response did. First of all, the school is a mandatory reporter. If they felt the hug was sexual in nature, and since sexual behavior is not a normal part of the development of a 4 year old, I would have to wonder if they made a referral to CPS? And if not why not? Certainly that would be a more appropriate reaction from the school than a suspension. They punished the child, without really knowing what was going on.
Second, they were going to be talking to the child about a sex related topic. So why did they not make sure that parents were there for that conversation? For even an older child to recieve sex education, don't they have to have a signed release from the parents?
I know a lot of schools have policies that teachers don't hug students, but this is really over the top to punish a kid.
And Ang50, you made a good point about the height difference.

 

[txsvicki]

I don't think this was really any reason to be turning the child's parents into CPS and the school is the one abusing the child by punishing him, trying to label him, and causing the family all sorts of stress and worry. I was sitting outside the school today picking up kids and looking at teachers and had a thought. This child must be very tall or the aide was a really really short woman because 4 year olds are not big enough for their face to reach a woman's breasts when standing up getting into line for a bus.

 

[txsvicki]

Here's an update:

http://www.wacotrib.com/news/content/news/stories/2006/12/14/12142006wac4yroldfolo.html#comments


There is a comment section if people want to say something about this. The story is making the news all over. Rush Limbaugh mentioned the incident on his program.

 

[californiacarrie]

I don't think this was really any reason to be turning the child's parents into CPS and the school is the one abusing the child by punishing him, trying to label him, and causing the family all sorts of stress and worry. I was sitting outside the school today picking up kids and looking at teachers and had a thought. This child must be very tall or the aide was a really really short woman because 4 year olds are not big enough for their face to reach a woman's breasts when standing up getting into line for a bus.

I agree that the incident itself doesnt warrant "sexualized behavior" however the point I, and mysteriew were making is that USUALLY, when an adult believes a child that young is displaying sexualized behavior, there is suspicion of molest - hence the involvement of CPS. In my opinion that would be a much more appropriate response than disciplining the child.

 

[julianne]

I agree that the incident itself doesnt warrant "sexualized behavior" however the point I, and mysteriew were making is that USUALLY, when an adult believes a child that young is displaying sexualized behavior, there is suspicion of molest - hence the involvement of CPS. In my opinion that would be a much more appropriate response than disciplining the child.

But when it CLEARY ISN'T sexualized behavior, and the adult insists it is, at that point it is the ADULT themselves that needs to be looked at. It is the adult who was most likely molested. OR is a molester herself. That is where the school dropped the ball.....they should've immediately recognized that the teachers aid was clearly wrong for even suggesting something so ludicrous, and CPS should've been called to investigate HER. She's the bizarre one here, not the kid.

 

[southcitymom]

My 4-year-old's preschool class at school recently did a little Christmas Craft. His teacher drew gingerbread men on pieces of construction paper and the kids decorated them according to their own desires. The teacher then cut the gingerbread men out to hang on the classroom door.

My son's desire was that his gingerbread man have a big swinging .....well, you have to look at it to get the full effect, but suffice it to say that, out of his class of 12, his gingerbread was the only one to turn out anatomically correct!

I laughed out loud (as did his teacher and other teachers and administrators) and took a picture of him proudly holding his creation and sent it as a Christmas card to my friends and family, but I also thought of this thread and wondered if anyone would think he was oversexualized!

 

[julianne]

My 4-year-old's preschool class at school recently did a little Christmas Craft. His teacher drew gingerbread men on pieces of construction paper and the kids decorated them according to their own desires. The teacher then cut the gingerbread men out to hang on the classroom door.

My son's desire was that his gingerbread man have a big swinging .....well, you have to look at it to get the full effect, but suffice it to say that, out of his class of 12, his gingerbread was the only one to turn out anatomically correct!

I laughed out loud (as did his teacher and other teachers and administrators) and took a picture of him proudly holding his creation and sent it as a Christmas card to my friends and family, but I also thought of this thread and wondered if anyone would think he was oversexualized!

LOL....too funny! Oversexualized? Oh my gosh NO! I love it.

 

[californiacarrie]

But when it CLEARY ISN'T sexualized behavior, and the adult insists it is, at that point it is the ADULT themselves that needs to be looked at. It is the adult who was most likely molested. OR is a molester herself. That is where the school dropped the ball.....they should've immediately recognized that the teachers aid was clearly wrong for even suggesting something so ludicrous, and CPS should've been called to investigate HER. She's the bizarre one here, not the kid.

I agree completely. And even if it were reported to CPS, they would likely not have responded to it unless there was prior suspicion elsewhere. But yeah, I totally agree with you about the adult being the one who was most likely molested or something along that lines.

 

[txsvicki]

The aide may not like the child, be mad at the school, parents for complaining about her before, may not really enjoy children, not have enough training. I also would still like to know if she was standing or sitting when the child hugged her because I don't believe he would reach her chest. If she was bent over to give him a hug, maybe she was the one in his face. If there were no adult witnesses, there's no telling what really did happen, if it happened. At Headstart, one aide is usually at the head of the line and one at the back. It would be interesting to know what the actual teacher has to say about it all, but that probably won't be let out.

 

[ihadcabinfever]

A 4 year old is still a toddler. What is wrong with this woman? That child was just being affectionate. If you have ever had the opportunity to go in and help out for a kindergarten function in the classroom , you will notice that if one of the girls get hurt,they all come running to the one crying whether it is over feelings being hurt or a paper cut. They all gather round and rub the boo boo and if they cant reach the injured one the one behind them rub the back of the one in front.
It's nice to see and funny to witness. This is an age where they are very compassonate and genuinely concerned for others. This teachers aide (arse) needs to go get her head checked. What a weirdo turning something innocent into something like that. Whats more bothersome is the ISS. This 4 year old is just a baby for god sakes. Get that weirdo away from those kids.

 

[Gina_M]

I can't believe this. The school officials involved have some serious issues. This link has contact info for the principal and the school district. Let's write in and tell them how insane they are:

http://www.universalpreschool.com/blog/

 

[4Angels]

:laugh: LOLOL! I'm so jealous. How do I get one of these X-mas cards! Hysterical!

My 4-year-old's preschool class at school recently did a little Christmas Craft. His teacher drew gingerbread men on pieces of construction paper and the kids decorated them according to their own desires. The teacher then cut the gingerbread men out to hang on the classroom door.

My son's desire was that his gingerbread man have a big swinging .....well, you have to look at it to get the full effect, but suffice it to say that, out of his class of 12, his gingerbread was the only one to turn out anatomically correct!

I laughed out loud (as did his teacher and other teachers and administrators) and took a picture of him proudly holding his creation and sent it as a Christmas card to my friends and family, but I also thought of this thread and wondered if anyone would think he was oversexualized!

 

[Amraann]

I am totally outraged by this entire incident.

WTH is wrong with that women?? I volunteered at all the kids schools from age 4 till HS and children hug!

Its what they do... Especially in elementary school. I remember the kids being in elementary school and I would help out their class.... You walk in the door and 20 kids rush at you to hug you!
This NEVER intoned anything sexual... certainly not in my mind.
If anything I always looked at it like "wow, these are really confident emotionally healthy children"
I would be much more concerned about a shy withdrawn child.

The facts are your not getting the creme of the crop when your talking about a teachers aide.
They do not need much training. The pay is awful and most take the job because it coincides with their own childrens schedule.
I have encountered the full range of teachers aides..
Its not always good.. Honestly those that are really wonderful are usually in school to become a teacher.
My own child has had a few aides that simply did not like him.
How you could not like my autistic son is beyond me.
Two women come to mind who simply did not like him and as stated in another post they lacked training.
I promtly had them both fired.
I would hope that other parents at this school would step up and remove this women who has obvious issues.

 

[txsvicki]

I can't believe this. The school officials involved have some serious issues. This link has contact info for the principal and the school district. Let's write in and tell them how insane they are:

http://www.universalpreschool.com/blog/

I emailed the principal and administrators but they were rejected. Maybe they were getting loads of emails.

 

[eve]

This is unreal! Where are we when society caves in to this kind of ridiculous pressure? I am a teacher and I am sick to death of this! I still hug students (and they are teens). I have been warned to watch out, but I will not change my ways when I know I have done nothing wrong. If I end up losing my job, I will do it with my head high and my middle finger pointing upward! I would go to the mat if I were this family.

Eve

 

[Tia]

(snipped )

I am totally outraged by this entire incident.

WTH is wrong with that women?? I volunteered at all the kids schools from age 4 till HS and children hug!

Its what they do... Especially in elementary school. I remember the kids being in elementary school and I would help out their class.... You walk in the door and 20 kids rush at you to hug you!
This NEVER intoned anything sexual... certainly not in my mind.
If anything I always looked at it like "wow, these are really confident emotionally healthy children"
I would be much more concerned about a shy withdrawn child.

I agree! This woman is the one with the issues! It should go on HER permanent record that her twisted mind interpreted a 4 year-old's hug as a sexual advance towards her!!! I'd pull my kids OUT of that class immediately-no parent is safe from a twisted accuser like her. Who knows what kind of accusations she will make next? She was raped by a toddler?

 

[eve]

(snipped )

I am totally outraged by this entire incident.

WTH is wrong with that women?? I volunteered at all the kids schools from age 4 till HS and children hug!

Its what they do... Especially in elementary school. I remember the kids being in elementary school and I would help out their class.... You walk in the door and 20 kids rush at you to hug you!
This NEVER intoned anything sexual... certainly not in my mind.
If anything I always looked at it like "wow, these are really confident emotionally healthy children"
I would be much more concerned about a shy withdrawn child.

I agree! This woman is the one with the issues! It should go on HER permanent record that her twisted mind interpreted a 4 year-old's hug as a sexual advance towards her!!! I'd pull my kids OUT of that class immediately-no parent is safe from a twisted accuser like her. Who knows what kind of accusations she will make next? She was raped by a toddler?

What I want to know is why is this nutjob able to pursue this? What is wrong w/ the "authorities" and administration in this case?

Of course, now that I think about it, I have been told by my administration that they must remain "totally neutral" in a situation such as this and that we are "not to expect to be backed up" by them. All of the teachers in our school know this. It doesn't matter how obvious the case. They have their "process."

And in this case, they're throwing common sense out the window in regard to the parents/4-year old.

Is this kind of like saying "We as administrators will not say if it's in our mouthes!!"

Education ... the last f'd up frontier.


Eve