First Grader Suspended for Harassment
Feb 08 1:23 PM US/Eastern
BROCKTON, Mass.
A first grader was suspended for three days after school officials said he sexually harassed a girl in his class by allegedly putting two fingers inside the girl's waistband while she sat on the floor in front of him.
The boy's mother, Berthena Dorinvil, said she "screamed" about last week's suspension from Downey Elementary School, and added her son doesn't know what sexual harassment is.
"He doesn't know those things," she told The Enterprise of Brockton. "He's only 6 years old."
School officials declined comment to The Enterprise, citing the child's age.
"They would have not suspended the child without doing an investigation," said spokeswoman Cynthia McNally.
Dorinvil said the school principal, Diane Gosselin, called her to pick up her son Jan. 30. She said her son asked the principal if the police were going to come get him.
The principal told Dorinvil the girl complained to the teacher after her son touched the girl's waistband, hitting her skin, in a room full of children.
Dorinvil said her son told her he touched the girl's shirt, not her skin, after the girl touched him.
"He was playing with her," Dorinvil said.
This is what I would call taking political correctness to the extreme!
Recently, a friend was wondering if it was time for her to send her son off to day care/preschool. Then we got to talking about some of the stuff our toddlers get themselves into, and my friend mentioned the fact that her young son liked to watch and touch "boobies".
Ahh, in that case, I told her, she should start telling her son not to touch other people's boobies in case the son gets charged with sexual harrassment. Imagine my friend's surprise that such a thing can happen. Oh yes, the story above is not the first of its kind.
It seems like children cannot be children any more and playfulness can be wrongly interpreted!
Some people need to be educated in child psychology before teching kids - they really have to pass it with flying colours. I have been mistakenly punished for some things I never knew I did when I was small (primary 2) - i remember it till now. It was about making signs in class. I saw this particular kid do it and he seems to enjoy doing it...so I did that 'sign' too - not knowing that its a 'No No'. The teacher caught me and I was punished for it - but honestly i never knew it was 'obscene' that time until I was severly punished. The teacher could have just told me its No Good.... my thoughts.
ReplyDeleteRidiculous! That kid was just mischievious and naughty. He should be punished and not accused of sexual harrasment. Ironically, those adults are causing very young children to be more curious about the issue and grow up faster. I won't be surprised if the parents sued and demand compensation for emotional damage to their son.
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