Teacher Put on Leave After Telling About Violent 7-Year-Old Student

[The_Dude 1,142]

Teacher Put on Leave After Telling About Violent 7-Year-Old Student

Second-grade teacher Elaine Brown was put on paid leave after warning the local sheriff that one of her seven-year-old students is violent.

"This child has a history of choking, kicking in the groin, and pushing on monkey bars to fall down," said Terri Worthington-Pack, a parent at Oakhurst Elementary School who volunteers on the playground.

Brown said she saw her student hit another second grader at lunchtime.

"[He] left a bruise on the side of his face. And to my knowledge he was never suspended for that. And I don't know if he was even talked to about that situation," said Brown. Brown told her students that if they felt they needed to tell someone about inappropriate behavior, they could come to her.

"One by one they came over to me and I documented different things. ... I couldn't write fast enough for what was pouring out of their hearts," said Brown.

Brown talked to each child privately and wrote down their stories of physical and emotional abuse. The stories included things like, "He spit on [so-and-so,]" "He always shoves me," "He threatened [so-and-so] with his fist," "He was going to bring a real gun to school," and "[He] told [so-and-so] that he was going to kill him with a gun."

The gun threats made Brown truly alarmed for her students' safety. The 15-year teaching veteran brought her concerns to parents, the school district, and then the principal. Brown said officials failed to act fast enough. Two days later, she called the sheriff's office.

"I did go to law enforcement to see if I can try to get a restraining order. But I found out that you cannot do restraining order with children. The very next day, I received a letter of reprimand in my e-mail box," said Brown.

Brown was put on paid leave for five weeks and counting, while her conduct is under investigation. Did she violate the student's privacy?

The school district declined to talk on camera to ABC News, citing privacy, but in a statement, said, "We have had an anti-bullying and harassment policy in place for a number of years, and when the steps in this policy are followed correctly, we have been successful in addressing these types of issues very successfully."

Parents' frustrations flooded out in an open school board meeting, with most defending the teacher.

"When a child is so scared to go to school and says that a child threatened him with being shot, and two other children confirm that, who makes that up? I'm sure some things are exaggerated, some things are made up, but some things are really true. And the things that are really true are really scary. And we don't want it to escalate. We want to stop it now," parent Worthington-Pack told ABC News.

In response, Oakhurst elementary school held a school-wide anti-bullying assembly. All the other teachers issued a statement praising the school and the principal, saying, "There are always two sides to a story, and we ask that you seek out the facts before making assumptions."

School violence experts say the controversy shouldn't obscure the fact that schools need to act aggressively on the issue.

"Bullying prevention is a national problem. Although I think we could second-guess the teacher we have to realize she had the best intentions and really wanted to help her students. And it's important that educators take action to stop bullying immediately," said Dr. Scott Poland, a school violence expert and a professor and crisis coordinator at Nova Southeastern University. "In my experience every year we have younger and younger children with very disturbing issues and the potential for violence," Dr. Poland said.

"If they are not literally in danger of being shot by a gun, they are in active danger of being hit and choked and hurt," Worthington-Pack said.

The school superintendent said that Brown will most likely not be fired, but will be returned to the classroom.

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I think the school districts response was quite absurd. Teachers are required by law (at least in my state) to report any form of suspected abuse, whether it is the parents abusing the child, or the child is abusing other children. Failure to report abuse can lead to a litany of repercussions, including legal issues (civil).

[Ontarkie 14,972]

I think she did her job, its the school district and Principle that failed those kids. This will only get worse if that child doesn't get alot of help soon.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I think she did her job, its the school district and Principle that failed those kids. This will only get worse if that child doesn't get alot of help soon.

She reported her concerns to local law enforcement. He's a 7 yr. old. Her job was to bring her concerns first to his parents, then to the Principal.

[Ban Hammer 14,353]

She reported her concerns to local law enforcement. He's a 7 yr. old. Her job was to bring her concerns first to his parents, then to the Principal.

so you're happy then with what she did, right?

The gun threats made Brown truly alarmed for her students' safety. The 15-year teaching veteran brought her concerns to parents, the school district, and then the principal. Brown said officials failed to act fast enough. Two days later, she called the sheriff's office.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

so you're happy then with what she did, right?

I think she acted rashly.

[^_^ 5,021]

I've heard of other principals at other schools admonishing teachers who go over their heads and go straight to LE. This isn't an isolated incident by any means. One of my wifes friends was "laid off" right after she called the cops to report an assault on her in the classroom by a student. The principal told her she would have rather she handled it internally.

[Ban Hammer 14,353]

I think she acted rashly.

sure, sure, and next thing you know, we have another school shooting because the school system was supposed to work but didn't.

Edited January 21, 2011 by charles!

[one...two...tree 2,762]

sure, sure, and next thing you know, we have another school shooting because the school system was supposed to work but didn't.

She should have raised her concerns with the Principal that she believed immediate action was necessary. We're talking about a 7 yr. old here. Now the school district could be subjected to litigation by the boy's parents, and she looks like she has no faith in her boss to know how to handle the situation.

[Ban Hammer 14,353]

She should have raised her concerns with the Principal that she believed immediate action was necessary. We're talking about a 7 yr. old here. Now the school district could be subjected to litigation by the boy's parents, and she looks like she has no faith in her boss to know how to handle the situation.

she did, and nothing happened for 2 days. you did read the story, didn't you?

[The_Dude 1,142]

I think she acted rashly.

She took her concerns to the parents and school administration first. I think she should have given them more than 2 days to act, but none the less, her actions were justified. She did build a case to prove her point.

I've heard of other principals at other schools admonishing teachers who go over their heads and go straight to LE. This isn't an isolated incident by any means. One of my wifes friends was "laid off" right after she called the cops to report an assault on her in the classroom by a student. The principal told her she would have rather she handled it internally.

Of course they laid her off. Schools hate it when issues like that get into the media because they failed to act. If you go to law enforcement as a first action, then I think that is a rash decision. If you go through the proper channels, and they fail to act, you've at least done your due diligence.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

she did, and nothing happened for 2 days. you did read the story, didn't you?

How do you know nothing happened? How do know what the Principal did and didn't do for those 2 days? Is this boy a recent transfer? He's in 2nd Grade so if isn't a new student, he's been at that school for a couple of years and chances are the Principal has met the kid's parents and probably knows more about it than what you are speculating. I think it's bad form to go over the Principal's head unless the teacher had no faith in his ability to do his job.

[^_^ 5,021]

I think it's bad form to go over the Principal's head unless the teacher had no faith in his ability to do his job.

that lack of faith in a principals ability (or, more often, willingness), is much more common than you may realize.

[Ban Hammer 14,353]

How do you know nothing happened? How do know what the Principal did and didn't do for those 2 days? Is this boy a recent transfer? He's in 2nd Grade so if isn't a new student, he's been at that school for a couple of years and chances are the Principal has met the kid's parents and probably knows more about it than what you are speculating. I think it's bad form to go over the Principal's head unless the teacher had no faith in his ability to do his job.

i'm not speculating, i'm stating the story.

The gun threats made Brown truly alarmed for her students' safety. The 15-year teaching veteran brought her concerns to parents, the school district, and then the principal. Brown said officials failed to act fast enough. Two days later, she called the sheriff's office.

who cares if he's a recent transfer or not? what's that got to do with the price of tea in china anyways?

[The_Dude 1,142]

How do you know nothing happened? How do know what the Principal did and didn't do for those 2 days? Is this boy a recent transfer? He's in 2nd Grade so if isn't a new student, he's been at that school for a couple of years and chances are the Principal has met the kid's parents and probably knows more about it than what you are speculating. I think it's bad form to go over the Principal's head unless the teacher had no faith in his ability to do his job.

Maybe in Mayberry, the principal knows every student and their family, but not in any school in major metro areas. At best, the principal gets to know the honors students and the trouble kids. The fact of the matter is, the kid has made threats of violence against his classmates, he has also threatened to shoot kids. They don't play that "oh kids will be kids" line anymore. if someone threatens to shoot someone, thats serious, regardless of age. If people had paid better attention early on to some kids, rather than just discount it as "oh ,he's a kid, it's just a phase, he probably just likes G.I. Joe too much", some of the violence that we've seen might have been avoided.