Do you believe everything you read? Yes, it is possible that he had been warned about calling students bad words (though the article doesn't specify what the bad words are so I don't know how you know that they are quite vulgar), but since the boy is 9 yrs old the parents should have been notified long before the suspension. My kids have been called names (including racial slurs - which I reported) but no one ever got suspended over it. Parents were talked to and behavior was modified. You just don't suspend 9 yr olds w/o 1st getting the parent involved.

Roy after reading your comment, I went to the link and read the story...then click on another link for the resolution of the story. Yep, typical media hype and typical newsvine responses. Here is a quote from the resolution.

On Tuesday, the school system issued a statement saying there was no sexual harassment.

“We regret this situation happened. The superintendent has attempted to contact the family to offer an apology to the parents and student. The school system is also sending an official letter of apology to the parents and student,” the statement says in part. The suspension will not count against Emanyea, and additional instructional assistance will be provided to him for the classroom time missed, the school system said. On Tuesday, the school system issued a statement saying there was no sexual harassment.

“We regret this situation happened. The superintendent has attempted to contact the family to offer an apology to the parents and student. The school system is also sending an official letter of apology to the parents and student,” the statement says in part.

The suspension will not count against Emanyea, and additional instructional assistance will be provided to him for the classroom time missed, the school system said.

But it's so easy to sit behind a desk and type how terrible the child is and the mother is at fault. I do not know these people, so the child could be a little jerk and the mother could be the biggest pain in the ass, but as far as this story is concern the suspension was not warranted. People need to check their biases at the door and flesh out the true story.

The funny thing is apparently this mom received 2 different letters. One quoted by Jahmekan saying that the School is apologizing for its actions and the other adding to the supposed offenses by the child. So which witch is which.

Either way it goes the mother should have been contacted at the first offense. And it's easy to verify wether or not the child had been suspended before for inapropriat language. It's listed on the report card how many days a child is abscent from school and for what reason. And at this point he should have recieved at least 2 report cards. Somebody's not crossing their T's or dotting their I's.

b-895713

If you don't consider 'bad words' to be vulgar, then you obviously have different standards than I do.

Jahmekan

I based my comment on the story, part of which was quoted by the mother;

"What's in that letter, what they accuse him about — if that's true, I should have been notified about it," Chiquita Lockett said. "And if so, then I would have seen where a suspension would have taken place."

There seems to be a lot of confusion with this story. One part says the boy violated school standards regarding speech, using 'bad words', and the other says the school 'apologized'. Perhaps the media should clarify. Of course, it's possible that both are correct. I can see where the boy may have said some bad things, but the school apologized to counter the bad press from the original story about how 'cute' the boy's remarks supposedly were. 'Political Correctness' seems to be the new standard.

Hopefully, the REAL story will come out.

Go to the original reporting station's web site. You can read the letter. I feel sorry for teachers that have to put up with this crap.

The school has not commented about whether the school contacted the mother or not. They may have sent a copy of the student code to her without further explanation. Or they may have sent a letter detailing the language, and she is denying. I twould be easy to verify. Either way, she should have been warned. Even a phone call, which she apparently doesn't answer.

So the kid cussed a bit. Big @!$%#ing deal.

I think the school is doing a CYA move. Why was the bad language not discussed in the original detention letter?

I spent 16 years teaching middle school. I had some doozies in my classes, but mostly the kids were great. In today's atmosphere of limited budgets and attacks against teachers and their unions, I'm glad I'm not in the classroom anymore.

This mother needs to get a civil rights educational lawyer as fast as she can! Any school district will lie through their teeth about the truth of what they are doing and have done and what is really going into this child'school record. She needs to request a full copy of his record and for her child to be assess for any suspected disibility or behavioral problem that is interfering with his ability to have educational benefit from his time in school . She also needs to watch for retaliation towards herself and her child and if she has any other children in the school district them also. Now that the school district has been embarrassed, you will not believe the things they will do to this family after the spot light is off of them. Trust me been there done that a lot!

Sounds like a punk....Disrespectful towards the teacher. A child should never speak that way to an adult! Especially a teacher. The mother should have taught him better.... District did nothing wrong! Raise you kid better and he will behave and won't get suspended. I have a son who is 12. He'd never dare to say anything like this. He knows better ;)

The mom should have been called to the principals office, but we don't know all the details. I would doubt that mom has never heard her child cuss. My question why is this in the media? And really, hire a lawyer?? I hold my kids to high standards, this is a hard world, you won't hold down a job if you can't function in society.

snore....

I'm suspending you for sexual harassment.

Oh... and now that the media has gotten me suspended, I'm now going to mention some additional reasons.

I would have seen where a suspension would have taken place."

@eastsider72...you can think what you want but even the mother says he should have been suspended. What more do you want?

Some people just love a conspiracy and are willing to ignore all credible evidence.

You do not suspend a 9 yr old for non dangerous behavior w/o 1st getting the parent involved. Schools have guidance counselors, was the guidance counselor brought in by the teacher to find out what was going on. The teacher went from non action to suspension. There are steps in between even for high school students, one of which is parent notification, another is detention.

Raider she would have known if her child had been previously suspended. You are reading too much between the lines. Just look at it at face value.

After 20 years of teaching, I've seen a HUGE change in parent & student attitudes. Growing up, if I would have come home with a letter that suggested anything inappropriate, it would have hit the fan. Obviously, he did something...regardless what it was. Parents these days immediately blame someone else other than their children. Thousands of excuses are made regarding why little Johnny did what he did and it's someone else's problem, not theirs. Personally, saying cute to a teacher is inappropriate and a line needs to be drawn. Whether that line be suspension, that's another story which depends on history. We have it written into our handbook that discipline is subjective to principal disgression depending on severity. What would have happened if the teacher called the student cute? or anything "forward"? That teacher wouldn't have a job. Isn't it our job to teach these children how to behave properly in the outside world once THEY get a job??? 'Cause apparently many parents are NOT doing that whatsoever. I wouldn't ever have thought to have been disrespectful towards a teacher in that way. Furthermore, I've witnessed tons of parents state that they've never been notified when in fact, they have...but chose to do nothing about it or didn't think their child was worthy of consequences. This is a changing society...unfortunately, NOT for the better. If you don't believe that...spend a week in a school.

Cara he didn't say it to a teacher. He said it to another student and it was over heard by a substitute teacher.

Can you say, "vicious cycle?" Yeah, that's the nature of the formation of bad behaviors in society. Unfortunately, this young mom...and I'm sure she's under 35...has not much to offer her young child economically, socially, morally, and including tagging the child with legal names that others in the community find comical or inappropriate. Btw... what was on the minds of the young couple giving Hitler names to their kids? See? Some people just seem to have their own ideas about morals.

I absolutely agree eastsider. I myself have even experienced liars in the school system who invent things to justify themselves. My highschool experience was 20 years ago, but I still remember being suspended when a teacher invented a 'tantrum' that never happened.

In my 20 years since, I've seen similar behavior toward my own children and my wife having been a teacher also experienced the lies and politics of the school system.

Oh yeah... this kid was suspended for Sexual Harassment, but now that the media has made a fuss, we'll add some things to the suspension that will help justify the whole thing. uh huh Please ignore the fact that these 'additional things' weren't mentioned before, nor was the parent ever advised of these 'past additional things'.

Not long ago, I read about an article where the school didn't want a little black kid in their school, so they hired a detective to follow the kid and find out where he truly lives, then filed charges against mommy. Nice system we have.

Hence what the mom said, the school needs to adivse her. Commuinicate people!

You are right Julia, the school should have informed the mother what the real issue was about. The story about the "cute" incident just still leads me to believe there is more hatred to this issue than is being proclaimed.

Suspended for cussing (not at the teacher)? What a load of bull@!$%#. Kids have been swearing since much earlier.

first the school claims they suspended him because he called a teacher "cute".

Lisa..Not true. The school never had a comment. This whole story has come from the mother.

officials at Brookside Elementary School in Gastonia sent Emanyea Lockett's mother a letter outlining further behavior it said was inappropriate and merited suspension:

Yesterday and todays "version" have both been per the mother.

Lisa, all versions givien are given by the mother. The school cannot legally comment to the media on the child and the situation.

In addition to the earlier version that was linkable for about two hours yesterday, but magically disappeared some time between 4:00 and 6:30, stating the boy called other students racially derogatory names, and he had called a female classmate b!tch. Since *all* the versions of the story have come from the mother, she clearly knew of his history.

^ Ha! Good one crosby.

mrcrosby, it sounds to me that either you are racially profiling this family or you know them personally. which is it?? if you know them personally then this really isnt a good avenue for you is it? or are you that childish? if you are racially profiling then this still isnt the place for you as there is quite enough going around already.

You went from 0 - 100 regarding people you do not know. What about this family led to your judgement call? What are you chewing on? Your comments demean and belittle you, not the Mom and her child.

It must make you feel like a man to hide online with these vile comments about someone you don't even know. But I'm sure you were an alter boy, so of course you have the right to talk about anybody. Not real intelligent.

3rdviewfromleft: Loved it, that was funny. Don't get me in trouble for laughing out loud at work.

I agree with the original comment on this thread.... not Mr racial jumper.... people are people but some people....(insert "bad word" here) just like you mrcrosby, need to get their heads checked and need to go check up what is in their OWN list of personal problems. obviously you have dif standards. people are people. now... the original comment.... I like it. it makes sense and sounds like what I have been trying to say for years, though I censor and try not to say the words at all because I do have kids of my own and people DO judge you over it. to me... the words themselves are not bad, and I think it is silly they constantly harp on this. words... OK, we consider it RUDE, so call it "rude", and stop acting like the words themselves are evil... and last I checked you can get suspended for being rude. I sat next to a kid in high school who got sent outside because he had an intestinal problem and farting was rude. he lost class time and was even sent to the office for it many occasions. they knew why but didn't want to deal with it. on my end, I was bullied for this hump thingy on my neck caused my scoliosis. it isn't obvious, but it is their and it was then too. unfortunately having said deformity was just another reason to be made fun of... and I got punished for it many times, because when someone hurts you they like to blame you for it, so... I can say we don't know the whole story, and probably never will. chances are she only knew what her kid told her and doesn't want to publicly say he is a lier.... which was the biggest taboo when i was growing up(at least at home), but in society it is whoever SOUNDS the most believable... or doesn't have a mental illness. I was disciplined at school with no notice home for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, for being in a wheel chair and being run over peoples feet by another student who hijacked the wheelchair and did so. those students whose feet were hurt were NOT glaring at the person pushing the chair.... thank goodness I rehabbed out of that mess. anyway...t he point is school is messed up.

Scott,

While I agree that what Roy said was jumping to conclusions, there are no real facts other than what are being put forward in the article. The article said that the school claimed that the kid used foul language.

Of course this is the same thing that happened with Herman Cain. Those that wanted him to be guilty found him guilty based on the articles, those that did not want him to be guilty said that there is no proof.

Wow! You sound like a nice person!

But he's just speaking the truth

mrcrosby, has anyone ever accused you of being prejudice? Just thought I would ask after reading this post I'm replying to and the one you left in response to 3rdviewfromleft's post.

By the way, I've never been on welfare and have worked my entire adult life. Normally I shouldn't have to state this but after seeing not just these 2 posts but many others of yours, mrcrosby, I thought it prudent.

Crosby...."you" are a racist idiot!

Crosby and umgawa. You should know that government checks don't come in the mail. Neither does SSI Disability or in your cases unemployment. Try living in the current decade and leave the past in the past. Racism is not a very appealing quality when you're serching for a job. Your new boss might be ....gasp....black.... pass out from the shock.

Again, you are a real man ..... Freaking coward is what I'm calling you.

Must put someone down ... a woman at that to stroke your self esteem.

Rambo on the blog .... Barney Fife in person.

Yes! Thank you! See my post below!

Right-and after se made a news BLAST about the kid's innocence BEFORE talking to the school-you believe she wasn't notified? Whoever reported this BEFORE checking it out should be FIRED. Now this school has a controversy it doesn't likely need/deserve and this little brat thinks he got away with it-which he did-he's probably getting a pat on the back from everyone in town. Disgusting. Shame on the mom, the reporter, and everyone who jumped to believe something so foolish without hearing both sides of the story. It's idiotics like those who create the self-indulgent brats that end up committing major crimes because they feel "entitled". Bleh.

During the fact, after the fact, whats the difference? The kid still has a potty mouth and I doubt anything his mother would have said to him would have stopped it.

They should be suspended when it happens. No warnings and no notes/calls to mommy first.

Should have...too bad the schools have to be afraid of garbage like this before protecting the other students. This is asinine. Back in my day they busted out a paddle and that never made the headlines n MSN-nor should it-if you don't like the way the schools perform-send them to private or home school.

Umgawa, you are wrong. If the kid really was saying those things, then they should immediately inform the mother. Just because KMC was a stepmother of a child that did it at home also doesn't mean this kid did it at home also. That is just making an assumption which is the same thing as being prejudice. The school should have informed the mother. How can a parent discipline a child if she doesn't know the child was behaving badly? Yes maybe the child does act like that at home but the school doesn't know that as a fact.

All of the information is coming from the mother. The school cannot discuss it, or reveal any previous actions taken, by law. perhaps the media should talk to other parents of classmates to find out what they are saying. My understanding is that he was overheard saying to another student -" she's a cute bitch".

Check other article the mom apparently received 2 different letters. One apologizing and the other condemning. So the school has some explaining to do. The child could have a potty mouth. Or he could be innocent.

When my child comes home with a bad report, I ask her about it. I ask several times in fact. If I believe her I contact the teacher. If I don't believe her I contact the teacher. Either way it goes she knows I'm going to contact the teacher.

Just making - please go back to school, and learn to read. Nowhere does it say he was accused of sexual harrasement. It says he has a history of racist, vulger potty mouth. This is the letter the MOTHER showed to the media. The school, by law, cannot discuss the boy. So we can only have the mother's word that she was not informed beforehand about the boy's problem.

Geeze, how can the mentally disadvantaged even operate a computer?

Of course not, her son is innocent. Racism will be the next thing out of her mouth.

No umgawa it's the first thing out of your mouth.

your absolutely right.....we should wait until the media has it's facts straight before posting on a blog.

Good luck with that!

I think this post was for you to tell people you have a good looking kid.