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Polk County Sheriff's Office / Polk County Sheriff's Office
Albert Cusson, 57, and his wife, Nancy, 47, in booking photos released by the Polk County, Fla., Sheriff's Office.
LAKELAND, Fla -- A Florida couple has been charged with child abuse after allegedly forcing a 13-year-old boy to kneel nine hours a day for 10 days in a row as a punishment for being bad at schoolwork, police said.
The boy ran down a road to a neighbor’s house on Wednesday afternoon, hobbled by blistered knees, reported the Lakeland Ledger.
According to the paper and other local news reports, Albert Cusson, 57, and his wife Nancy, 47, were jailed on child abuse charges Thursday after allegedly forcing the teen to kneel on a hard bathroom floor with his hands behind his back from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day and beating him with a stick if he moved, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.
During the ordeal, according to a report in the New York Post, they made him sleep in a bathtub and fed him one "protein shake" a day containing meat, vegetables and other foods, the statement added.
According to the paper, officers said the boy had blistered knees, red marks on his back and struggled to walk when they found him. He was taken to the Lakeland Regional Medical Center for treatment.
The boy, who was home-schooled, told cops that the couple planned to enforce the punishment for 20 days in a row, the Post reported. They denied the kneeling ordeal caused him injuries, and told detectives it was, "the only punishment that works for him."
Further charges
The Post reported that the pair may face further charges after a nine-year-old girl also claimed they forced her to kneel for two days straight.
Deputies withheld the name of the boy and girl and their relationship to the Cussons because of the nature of the allegations. However, News 13 TV in Orlando reported that he is the grandson of the couple.
"There is no excuse for this type of deplorable behavior," Sheriff Grady Judd said. "People who mistreat children are the worst of the worst. Jail is too good for them -- the Cussons will be more comfortable in the county jail than this little boy was when he was in their care."
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Holy Roller's gone wild again?
WWJD?
With more and more 'home schooling" we are going to end up with more and more badly undereducated idiots who believe there is no such thing as evolution and that the earth is 4000 years old. Kinda like Sarah Palin. It is in our society's best interest to make sure that "home schooling" actually involves an education rather than the religious brain washing now being promoted by people like Rick Santorum.
Exactly where in the article does it say anything about religion? Only someone with their patties on a little too tight and cutting off circulation to their brain would come out of reading that saying religion was involved.
This is taking Tebowing to a whole-notha level
Gloryhound, you'll get used to the liberal blather. Those who cannot think for themselves only repeat what they hear from their liberal handlers. It happens to conservatives as well, but there is no doubt that liberals prey on those that want something for nothing and many of those recruits have already lost the ability to support themselves and their families and fall all over themselves to spread the slander and insults without a clue as to what they are supporting. I was not a racist when I voted for Obama. As soon as I stated my disappointment with some of our President's policies, the mindless ones just opened the liberal talking point booklet and labeled me a racist. You know you are making your point when you are attacked by others, not with facts, but with insults.
There number of non-religious families home schooling is on the rise. Parents that want to avoid religious....stuff that is creeping into public schools or in areas with substandard schools.
Sounds like a typical republican family that hates public education and always resorts to violence and torture as a way to get what they want.
Believe it or not, but there are home schooled kids that don't live in a religious household. Namely ours.
Don't lump all home schooled kids in this category. That's not fair.
DaveT, I am sure there are some but mostly it is people who hate the government, paranoid religious freaks......really.
Does the name Rick Santorum come to mind almost immediately?
Don't everyone pile on Not Surprised. Many children are home schooled for non-religious reasons, but the vast majority of home schooled children come from deeply religious families who want to provide a religious education. So statistically, it was a logical assumption to make. And he's probably right.
Soooo, Bluelake, Sandy/Missouri, Kathryn Sullivan, its all a political thing to you. Its them no good Republican home schoolers.
Are you ready to start the movement to abolish the Republican (and other such) parties, leaving the Democrats to be the one main party in this country?
A little excessive.
MrRighteous (kind of an egomanical and sanctimonious name there), it is "them no good republicans". They have \been doing everything in their power to destroy public education. They want to educate children in their own beliefs and philosophies. The vitriol and hate from the right about these things is TAUGHT and LEARNED by children at a young age FROM THEIR PARENTS. Public schools at least teach children to think for themselves. Home schooled kids, especially from conservative or religious households, lack the ability to think for themselves as they have been indoctrinated by their parents into believing a certain way. That way is usually hateful of anything different, not bible based and might remove the power that white people have in the US.
BTW, don't forget it was people in the last republican administration that wanted to abolish the democrat party and make a PERMANENT Republican Majority. That's right from Carl Roves mouth. Republicans will not be happy until they have total control over the US like some dictatorial group similar to Iran.
My father, rest his soul, was "raised" on a farm/commune of fundamental "Christians", right around the turn of the last century. Too bad there wasn't anyone looking out for those kids, who were brutally punished in like manner, all in the name of God. He seldom struck me, and that was gentle. He carried the emotional scars of his childhood all his life. He left home for the final time at age 26, whereupon his overbearing father cursed him by saying "God will punish you, if it takes forty years". My father told me after I was grown that he "breathed a sigh of relief on his 66th birthday, because the curse was over."
He also took us kids to church, because he believed we needed some exposure to the moral principles, but after we were older, let us seek our own way. He kept his own beliefs private, but I have to wonder if he thought God approved of how his brothers and sisters were treated by their father. No God that approves of brutality in any cause deserves the name.
i would beat they are god fearing folk now they are anal rape fearing folk?
Let me get this out there. I do not condemn home schooling. I do not assume that all home schooling is religious based. I repeat that as a society it is important to us that home schooling provide a true education and not just religious indoctrination. I have known people who home schooled their children and did an outstanding job, their kids easily went on to institutions of higher learning. I have also seen examples of home schooling where the children came out unable to read or write a coherent sentence and were so ignorant of baseline scientific ideas that they could only spout biblical interpretations of life. These kids never had to worry about being called a snob, and never could aspire to any kind oh higher education. On the world stage this harms our country when it comes to industrial competition.
This is the level we have sunk to, my fellow Americans. We are only as good as the least among us. But hey, who needs that snobbish educations, stuff? I got's the google macheen! And a gun, I gots my gun. An' a whip. Who don love Juesus? Show me, I'll kick dere azz.
What is it with parenting in Florida that so much of this child abuse makes it to National news?
The GOP is doing that all by itself. In its zeal for idealogical purity, it is driving away an important part of its electoral base, much as the Catholic Church has done with its anti-birth control and anti-female teachings that have alienated much of its base, at least in the US. It will take an electoral shock, much as the Democrats experienced with McGovern and, later, with Mondale to bring it back to its senses. If it nominates Santorum, it will get that shock.
Although I will grant you that most homeschooled families are probably doing so for religious reasons, Bluelake, judging all homeschoolers using this family as a model is not accurate.
That would be like saying all children who go to public school are violent shooters. Obviously not an accurate "judgement" there.
If you want to judge a homeschool family, why not the Paolini family? Again, not the norm, but much good can come from homeschooled children if they learn to think "differently."
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8349.Christopher_Paolini
Or what about the child genius Laura Deming who was homeschooled.
http://www.thielfellowship.org/profile/laurademing/
Or Unschooler, Dale Stephens, Penguin author, Thiel Fellow, and education activist.
http://www.uncollege.org/
We homeschool and not for religious reasons, we just don't want our child indoctrinated by the public school system. Our son is free to pursue his favorite subjects in depth like creative writing, fencing, math, or choosing to read Dante's Inferno in 8th grade instead of waiting to do so in college.
Just saying, don't judge all homeschoolers by a few lemons.
This said, so glad the young man was smart enough to run away and report these "parents."
Sorry to all But this NOT a political issue and shame on all of you for using the severity of the abuse this child went through to project your political BS.
I can only hope that your children do not suffer like this child has. And I hope that the 2 grandparents' get 20 years minimum. Most likely this child went into their care for mom was unable to take of him and then they do this to him. WOW poor kid needs much support not your political rants!
Thank you Silly Shrinks. Would you please say that again....
Now THAT is quality parenting. I think these to clowns should be forced to kneel for a few weeks as their punishment.
I do not know if these people were home school for religious, cultural, political or practical reasons -- and neither do any of you. However, the speculation that is was religious is justified (as a speculation) given the method of punishment. Kneeling is traditionally associated with religion (kneel to pray, kneel to repent, etc), though it does not necessarily have to be. Had they punished the boy in some other way, then speculating religious affiliation may not have been fair. But they did not punish him some other way. Give Not Surprised a break.
my kids piss me the hell off, and I'm not above a spanking, but this is some dumb sh!t
..and I was forced to go through Catholic School and those nuns were mean, and the priests were creepy. My parents wouldn't let me leave that school so I intentionally misbehaved for years to the point of expulsion (around 6th grade). After that, I went to public school and my grades and behavior were better and I've been a straight shooter ever since. Moral of that story: If my kids are talking to me I'm going to listen.
What a country. Quite sick! We should be ashamed to have people like this running free and VOTE!
The rest of the story:
My father lived his life quietly, never carried hate in his heart, and forgave his father the brutality. His mother, although unable to prevent the abuse of her children, gave them the best possible medicine in the form of her love and care. Her unflinching support of her children carried them through the storm that was their father's cruelty. He never spoke a bad word about his father, and when the old man, blinded by age and frightened by his helplessness, finally died, my father went back to the farm to help his mother settle the affairs.
There is so much hate in the world, so many people carrying grudges, even way back then, after WWI, the war to end all wars, my father knew that if he carried that weight, he would not make it very far in life. He lived into his 80s, being of service to people in whatever way he could, because that was his way, learned from his mom. I hope the young man who was treated so brutally will find someone like my grandmother, who I never met, that will give him the love and guidance he needs to be a good man, and live a long and fruitful life. In the final analysis, it will be his choice. As Viktor Frankyl said, we cannot do anything about the things that happen to us; but our one enduring freedom is our power to decide how we will respond to those things.
Sandy - how is that any different from what the Democrats would like to do?
Because Democrats believe in liberty, freedom, and the ability to choose your own life scales.
As opposed to Republicans, who want to be able to take pictures of your fetus and show them to you before allowing you a medical procedure.
I am normally very lenient when it comes to doling out judgement and punishment on people however these mother @!$%#ers need to rot in jail for the rest of their lives!!!
TORTURING CHILDREN!!!!
Better yet, have them kneel on a hard bathroom floor, giving them only a "shake", making them sleep in the tub for 40 days and 40 nights.
Then see how these punk ass excuses for humans feel! Absolutely deplorable!!
AND QUIT MAKING EVERY DAMN THREAD ABOUT POLITICS!!!!
IS THERE NO END TO YOUR CONSTANT GRIPING!!!!
I DON'T CARE WHAT PARTY YOU CLAIM. JUST STOP!!!
Sharktopussie,
These people were not the boys "parents."
An advantage to public school is the variety of different teachers the children have there.
No 1 or 2 home teachers at a home school can compare.
I am disgusted by the behavior in this thread.
Hate is not a family value.
Neither is it a liberal value.
Personally, I don't see any problem punishing a child for poor behavior or performance. At the same time I don't see any problem praising a child for good behavior or performance. I don't have a problem when society goes overboard on placing moral judgements on private matters. I am not saying that this is the case, but some of the viners are.
And NO, I don't believe postive reinforements works on all children in all cases, because not all people are the same. We may be equal in our rights, but doesn't make us the same.
It is totally different. It is not the Democrats who are trying to pass voter restriction laws to limit voting that may lean Democratic. This is clearly the goal, as the laws in some jurisdictions are the exact opposite of those in other jurisdictions, with only the desired outcome being the same.
Nor have Democratics spent the past 40 years on a planned agenda of taking control by "infiltrating" government from the bottom up, starting with School Boards and local positions. The outcome of this was school boards attempting to prohibit the teaching of evolution and/or promoting creationism in public schools, and now local and state governments run by people who believe it is not only OK but desirable to govern based on their personal religious beliefs. They are now at the national level, as with Rick Santorum and most of the neo-con base.
Nor have Democratic-headed election boards fought fair elections as Republican-led boards did in Florida in 2000 and Ohio in 2004, both instances where Republicans dismissed any questionable votes that may have been for the Democrat, but embraced those which appeared to be for Bush. It is now known that a fair vote recount in Florida would have awarded the Presidency to Al Gore. In Waukesha County, Wisconsin, the Republican woman who heads the Election Board has repeatedly announced "mistakes" that suddenly reversed the elections of Democrats.
There is the party that is willing to play by the rules, the Democrats, and the party that is willing to do whatever it takes to win, the Republicans. Does that answer your question?
Look at the SOB that's running this country. He'd like babies killed. These two slobs look like his bobble-head followers.
"Because Democrats believe in liberty, freedom, and the ability to choose your own life scales."
Thanks for the laugh, Fred. That was hilarious.
You WERE kidding...right?
John-3836933
I get what you're saying, but in homeschooling we don't view me or my husband as the "only teachers." Heavens no. My son takes art and fencing lessons. We also view all our interactions outside the home as learning lessons. From the docent at the museums, the nature guide, to the waiter who serves us food, to the dentist and doctor, policeman and fireman, librarian. You simply can't step outside without running into some kind of "teacher."
There are tons of things to learn from and "teachers" are everywhere. That's the shame about public school. So many people see all the learning happening in that building over there, when children actually are learning all the time. It's just a matter of perspective.
These two are sick son- of &*** and got enjoyment out of this! I think they should rot in hell
Great opening, #1. Haven't seen or heard those words very often since seeing and hearing the Holy Roller evangelical churches in my 50's neighborhood promote their product with plenty of loud music.
If you, #1.8, haven't figured out the connection of kneeling with religion, you might consider going back to school yourself. It's called "logic". Somehow I can understand why it is possible for religious fanatics to have an aversion to a concept that is the opposite of "faith".
As for these two sorry excuses as grandparents and alleged CINOs (Christians in name only), they should be allowed to experience, not by their choice, the same marathon kneeling sessions that they imposed on their grandson. And, if it is determined that they received state foster care $, they should also be charged with fraud. In essence, throw the book at them so that they never see the light of day.
Abortion is not killing a baby, it is the termination of a pregnancy. There is a difference. That's why abortion is legal, but murdering a baby is not.
Stating that the President would "like to kill babies" while name calling is a perfect example of the ignorance of the right.
My guess is the two in the picture are republicans, if anything. The vast majority of Democrats do not home school, nor are they the type of religious fanatics most likely to abuse children in the name of God.
Lastly, the President, any President. does not "run (the) country". The Congress plays a far greater role in "running the country" as the branch of government that makes law.
Get an education.
Just because you don't believe it does not make it so. I have personal experience with Positive Behavior Support, and it did in two years what 10 years of punitive punishment could not do. In addition, not all behavior is just that, as some forms of mental illness involve bad "behavior" that is part of the illness. Punishing bad performance is so counterproductive that I cannot believe you would even say that. You may think you are succeeding if punishment gets you results in the short term, but there will be long term effects that will show up along the way.
Everybody responds better to being treated with respect and kindness than with disrespect and punitive actions. In that respect, we are all created equal.
No where does the article mention religion. Yet once again people make assumptions from their own prejudice while pretending they are actually the enlightened ones...
My brother is Agnostic his wife Wiccan both liberals and they pulled their kids out of school and home schooled their kids because they did not like the other kids at the school or the behaviors they were picking up there (yes they do have values for their children). My cousin is Christian and he home schooled because he did not like the behaviors his kids were picking up from other kids either and he thinks our country's education is behind. He has a doctorate in Particle Physics but decided to put his career on hold and take a lesser job so he could be at home more and help raise his kids because they are his main priority. Meanwhile my mom, aunt, and uncle all teachers and Christian think they are doing their kids a disservice socially and they do not believe that parents can do the job a certified teacher can do. So I have heard all sides from people from different beliefs and backgrounds. Its not all religious fanatics that pull their kids out of school. Two things I did notice though is that though one is Agnostic the other Christian both pulled out their kids because they did not want their kids picking up bad behaviors from other kids that basically have parents that let them do whatever they want. Also, that my brother's kids all graduated early speaking 3 languages (including english), his son decided to go into the military (My brother was Army Intelligence), his daughter is now persuing her master's in mathmatics, his youngest just entered college. With my cousin, his oldest started taking college level classes at 15, his other son finished high school early too and is now in drama school and winning awards there. Perhaps it is not too much religion or lack there of that is the problem but school that is too busy "leaving no one behind" that they are leaving everyone behind. All they do at school now is test and get ready for more tests. Plus most parents are too busy to bother with what their kids are doing, let the schools raise them, seems to be the motto. I do not home school yet but am seriously considering it for the very same reasons mentioned above. The things I hear my kids bringing home and saying, the behaviors that they are copying from their friends whose parents obviously don't care what they say or do in front of their 5yr old or what they let them watch. The fact that my 7 yr old has at least an hour of homework a day sometimes more because I am actually teaching him not just having him memorize words, yet when she sends home his graded work half if not more is what I did with him at home. They spend the whole day on Friday testing. I thought at least socially school would be good for him but that has been a fail since he is only learning bad things. Our school system is broken. The kids coming out of public schools for the most part no longer can do any critical thinking, do not know any history, and can not do math without a calculator doing all the work. Check out our rank internationally now sometime you might be surprised at how far we have fallen.
Further proof that all these assumptions about this being religious in nature where wrong. Actually the kid had just been pulled out of public school because they caught him cheating in public school and wanted to punish him. Seems like the public school missed all the other cases of abuse.
http://badbreeders.net/tag/albert-cusson/
People really need to dig a little deeper before making assumptions and stereo typing.
Of course not grilledcheese, though I DID expect it to go right over conservative's heads.
Looks like I was right.
Not just parenting, but Florida in general. There seems to be a whole lotta crazy $hIt happening in Florida.
It looks to me like more than half the problem is not the public schools, but the poor parenting so many kids get these days. Half the parents aren't married so the kids grow up without the stability of a two parent household. The parents are out on school nights instead of home with their kids. The mothers have a string of men in their lives. People do drugs in front of their kids and use horrible language. They have low expectations for their children and don't want to make the necessary sacrifices to raise a child properly.
What can schools do to counter the terrible parenting that seems to be the norm these days?
I went to catholic school all the way till the eight grade. When I was in the sixth grade none over the upper classmen would admit to a school violation. The nuns made every boy in the school neal for 7 hours a day for three weeks straight holding books out to there sides with there arms extended. Back then I felt this was a evil punishment. I hope this boy in this story will over come all of the brain washing his family has put him through. The boy in my school that admited to the crime did not even have anything to do with the crime. He just got tired of being punished. Needless to say I am not a practicing catholic as an adult due to the church telling my family ( witch are still devout chatholics ) they needed to vote for the republician party. Maybe not all but most of the home schoolers are over religious republicians who want us to follow a religion just like the muslem jihad. Religious republicians ( tea party ) are starting to show thery true side the new american jihad but christian.
I'm glad the boy ran for help and this couple was caught. I worry how many others like this are hidden due to homeschooling....
what exactly are you implying?
She's implying that child abuse happens when parents homeschool.....that is a generalization. ANY parent can abuse.....I can see if they were EXTREMELY crazy religous homeschoolers, then they might be abusive...but like I said, ANY parent can be an abuser. Doesn't have to be a homeschooler.
Most child deaths in the home due to parental abuse or neglect occur before the age of school.
So your kids are safer in school with teachers who may be sexually abusing your child (like all the teachers caught so far in California) than they are at home with you? Safer than in a school where a disgruntled child can come in and start shooting his fellow class mates (Chardon, OH)?
To me it sounds like your home isn't safe!
What I understood from the comment (and agree with) is that it's harder to FIND abuse cases in homeschooled kids, because there's no un-related teacher or adult around to NOTICE the bruises, and no trusted, safe adult for the child to tell.
American Sprit is implying that homeschooled children may not be as "visible" to the community as children who attend public or private schools.
If they're being abused in their own homs, who would see it. At least if a child is in school a teacher or other adult might be available and notice symptoms and signs of abuse.
The home schooled children I know, and I know a few, are no different than those I know who attend public or private school. I do see a difference in their parents though. The parents I know who home school their children are much more involved with their children's education than those that farm out their children to others to educate. And most home school parents and students are connected and socialize with other home schooled children and parents through organizations set up for that purpose. Making it sound like home schooling promotes hidden child abuse ignores the fact that child abuse happens right under our noses to public and private school children as well. As in the latest California teacher sexual abuse cases, out of fear, that abuse often doesn't become known until years afterward or in some cases, not at all. American Spirit, are you as worried about the predators still teaching our children in public schools as well, or is your worry just directed at homeschooling because you don't understand what it really is?
Oh yah they are..........when you get a constant indoctrination of hate for the government, hate for liberals, and forced religion....yah they are different.
Kathyrin, Wow you have been indoctrined into the liberal bias talking heads on home schooling.
The problem with that is no statistics are really available. I know home schooling for my daughter has her outperforming kids her age by over a full grade level by standard tests. At the beginning of the year our daughter wanted to try public school for half a year. After placement tests put my 9 year old daughter in the 5th grade and if she continues on course over the next 3 weeks she will be on the honor role.
She enjoys the fact that with us having moved to a new town last year she was able to build up her friend base quickly going to public school, she has decided she wants to go back to home schooling where we allow her to more thoroughly study things that interest her.
Yet in a recent article: http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2012/02/is_sexual_abuse_in_schools_very_common_.html
some statistics where developed pointing out that on the conservative side 3.7 percent of children suffer sexual abuse from their teachers while other studies go as high as 1 in 10 children suffer sexual abuse from teachers or other school staff. That is a little high and I think the public school system needs to figure out how to stop that as well as the bullying that causes kids to start shooting other kids in school before they try to impose on what is honestly a family decision.
On a side note my wife is a substitute teacher at the school my daughter goes to as well. From everything she has seen one of the major issues with public school is a lack of parental involvement. I wonder if the new modern family that has mom and dad both working is really the best for the future of all our children.
The answer, American Spirit, is there are none. (Well maybe Kathryn Sullivan has the information that is really is worse. I'm willing to consider. Tell me what you know.)
Now for the zinger: The only posters that would complain about home schoolers are unionized public school teachers, including those who may never be fired from their jobs no matter how badly they perform their jobs.
Kathryn Sullivan, I must respond. So typical of those on the left like yourself to spout the BS you have been indoctrinated into believing. President Obama enjoyed the company of Bill Ayers when living in Chicago. And don't forget about that lovely revolutionary wife of his Bernadine Dorn. Obama only distanced himself from them when it become public that he had that connection. The President's buddy and his wife are the epitomy of those who hate or at least hated this country. Enough so to want to kill innocents representing it. You have made a fool of yourself in this message thread. Your liberal handlers had better put you through some retraining before sending you out to post your hate here again. You make them look bad.
never mind got beat to my reply
MrRighteous, I complain about home schoolers and I was educated in a public school. Most of the time home schooled children end up under educated and have to do remedial work before they can get into a collage. Sure you hear about some success stories but they are rare and far between. Most people trying to educate their children at home probably can't pass the typical standard testing of "No Child Left Behind". So how can someone who lacks the teaching knowledge teach a child? They can't.
Kathryn Sullivan, you are absolutely and 100% right. just look at the posts after yours proving how right you are about the hate from the conservatives.
Sandy, you do not understand how homeschooling works. It's not just a bunch of conservatives trying to be teachers. I have liberal friends who have home schooled their children for the same reasons that conservatives might. As I mentioned above, serious home schoolers use programs created to do it and like I said, they certainly are more involved. Show me the hate you say is directed toward Kathryn. I know I don't hate kathryn because of her beliefs. Hating someone just because they disagree with you appears to be a liberal trait. I didn't see any hate in this thread until we got Kathryn's message #2.7. Of course, Kathryn could not provide us with an example of a home schooled child that hates our government, hates liberals, and has religion forced upon them. I guess you could say there are parents that bring their children up based on faith and religion, but to say the children were forced is a stretch. It is the parents responsibility to bring there children up properly and some choose religion as one way to do that. I am not a religious person, but I don't fear it like you liberals do. What's with that?
Sandy: "Kathryn Sullivan, you are absolutely and 100% right. just look at the posts after yours proving how right you are about the hate from the conservatives"
RIGHT ON! Talk about "projection!" Or the pot calling the kettle black! Amazing!
Yep...those damn Public Servants...school teacher, fire fighters, paramedics, police...all a bunch of union thugs! Thank you Rush Limbaugh.
It would help if you understood that this is Polk Country we're talking about, otherwise known as Baptist Central. I live in Polk County maybe 20 miles from where these sickos reside. There's good normal Christian family types in abundance here, but there's also an inordinate amount of fundamentalist red neck whackos who are regularly being arrested for this sort of child abuse. The political environment is heavily good ol boy and there's a lot of poverty. Sheriff Grady Judd is Polk County's answer to Arizona's Joe Arpaio, or at least a wannabe.
Figure in the fact that this couple probably found nothing wrong with their method of punishment for the 13 year old and you get an idea of some of the social climate.
I think American was saying that those parents wanted to be abusive, so they decided to homeschool, to get away with it. If this boy was in a "regular" school, these people wouldn't have gotten away with it, or the abuse would have been much less severe. I don't think the statement was made to say that all homeschooled children are abused, but to say that abusive parents may use it as a guise. Its like when an abusive spouse forces their partner to cut off all ties to family and friends. Keep them isolated to keep control over them, and to prevent others from seeing what is going on. I bet this kid was rarely taken anywhere by his parents, most likely has no friends, as well as rarely see other family.
"and no trusted, safe adult for the child to tell."
Ummm, Jaime-438428, let's ask all those parents of the dead children at Columbine and Chardon, shall we about those safe trusted adults who are so aware and helpful...And if they don't have an answer, let's ask those parents of the children in the recent sex scandal in the elementary school in Los Angeles...
"Crickets."
culheath, what the heck is your problem with Joe Arpaio? Do you think his pink prison clothing, bologna sandwiches, and tent living quarters are making it to hard on the criminals in his jail? If there was anythiong he has done that could be deemed against the law, the Obama Administration would have had him wearing pink underwear by now. You know Joe is on the liberal hit list because he dares to treat criminals for what they are instead of like they were on an extended vacation. If you don't want the pink clothes, bologna, and a tent for a house, it's really simple. Don't break the law. It's time we started supporting law enforcement as opposed to protecting criminals from them.
There are people who are qualified to home school and who do a great job at it. Then there are people like those in this story. Thank god this kid got away from them - I hope he's able to make up lost time and catch up with his peers.
Homeschoolers almost inevitably resist any sort of regulation, and I know most of them do a good job of it. However, without regulations or standards, homeschooling can all too easily become a shelter for abusive or neglectful parents.
I worry about how many public and private school children may be hiding the abuse they have suffered at the hands of their teachers or others at school. As in the latest California teacher abuse case, the parents of these children evidently did not notice anything amiss. And where were all of those teachers and school administrators that American Spirit and others here think do such a good job of spotting the symptoms of abuse when those California students were being preyed upon in the classroom next door for many years? When a "redneck", as those here have labeled these abusive people does it, it's as if it never happened anywhere else before and child abuse is strictly a religious "redneck" conservative issue. I see no difference between an ignorant "redneck" or "bluenecked" one and there are plenty of both.
JrzWrld, How did those regulations and standards in place in the California public school system protect the abused students from the predatory teacher all of those years? This can go on and on.
Let's see if you can give us an example of liberal, educated (blueneck) parents who abused their kids in the manner or degree this couple did. Corporeal punishment and retributive justice are hallmarks of controlling and conservative world views, not liberal ones.
Sandy: You might want to check your spelling, grammar and composition before boasting of your public school education.
Speaking as someone who went to public school, and who doesn't want to see you embarrass yourself inadvertently.
I didn't see any mention of religion in the article!!!!??? What's up with all this garbage about religion?
Okay culheath, I give up. I guess you are right. There has never been an abusive liberal educated parent. What a crock of crap! In the eyes of a "blueneck", it's always the others that do the bad stuff, the others that should pay taxes, the others that take us to war, the others that don't know what is best for them, and on and on. As for corporal punishment, that was a way of discipline used by parents for many years and it was not just a conservative or liberal invention. But as I said, you folks only see what you want.
justoneguy, religion was brought into the conversation by the liberal, Kathryn's 2.7 message, which I just noticed has been collapsed. Kathryn has discovered that the abusive parents in this case were teaching their children to hate
culheath...are you kidding? You are actually exploiting this child’s abuse to further a political agenda??? You’re as bad as the ones who are using it to exploit their anti-religion agenda. Neither is mentioned in this article. This boy was abused by his grandparents, period. Their political party or their religious beliefs have nothing to do with this child's suffering. And, as for an example of liberal parents abusing their children, no where does this article state that these people are NOT liberal.
All I asked for was one example and you just offer more of your political rhetoric.
LOL...you ever been to Polk County? Trust me, these folks are the furthest thing from liberal.
You guys crack me up.
culheath...by your logic then, there should be no child abuse in San Francisco, yet reports of child abuse and neglect are on the rise there. Same in New York, another "liberal" city. You yourself are admittedly from polk county..does that make you a conservative child abuser?
As though SF is populated solely by liberals and probably gay liberals at that, right?...as I said, you crack me up.
cul...as I said...I am using YOUR logic to draw that conclusion..not mine. If polk county is populated by child abusing conservatives, what exactly does that make you? By your logic, you yourself are a child abusing conservative. You don't even get your own logic do you?
Just plain sick.
Brave little boy for running for help. Where are the parents?
In jail... where they belong.
Grandparents?!? When I first read the ages 57 and 47 and the boy being 13 It made sense. She had him at 34. Now it turns out that is the grandmother. Meaning she was 18 AT MOST when she had her kid and he was 28.
WTF?!
Grampa and Gramma did this? As a gramma, I just can't imagine doing this to one of my grandchildren. Grampa and Gramma are supposed to be safe havens aren't they? Cookies and warm hugs and hot chocolate and cartoons, eating in the living room on the carpet, sleeping in big cuddly beds, no? This just breaks my heart.
@EngEsq -- I know, right? That really says it all -- a 47 year old woman with a 13 year old grandson. Not difficult to see what type of people we're dealing with.
Exactly...but don't try to tell some of the folks on here that.
Young people having sex, huh. Yeah... sounds like the ingredients for child abuse to me?
Haven't any of these idiots ever heard "positive reinforcement"? Instead of punishing them for something they have "done incorrectly"; reward them for what they have done "correctly". It really dose work (even on pets and husbands). Besides if the kid was on his knees in the bathroom for nine hours a day, how could he improve his school work? Sometimes it just boggles the mind.
JP61 - Let's face it, I don't think we are talking about educated people in this incident. I am sure that positive reinforcement is not a concept familiar to them. What is really pathetic is that the State of Florida is letting these people "home school" this kid. This kid should certainly be pulled from their "care" and placed in a home where he will be given proper attention.
I must say every time I hear of a badly abused child the story also states that the reason they were not in school was because they were being "homeschooled".........I doubt they were being schooled at all. Home schoolers need to be varified and visited occasionally IMO
Der.......from 7 to 4 he was having to kneel. So WHEN were they being homeschooled? These grandparents are just the scum of the earth! I would imagine these 2 children were being constantly abused!!!
Thank goodness they'll be safe now. I'd like to know where the parents are? Obviously ugly and fat grandma and grandpa didn't do a good job with their own kids or these kids would be with them. However, these two might have done such a bad job their kids are in prison!
These scum bag abuser need some looooooong prison time!!!
Kathryn: You are demonstrating selection bias and unfounded assumptions, as well as poor spelling and grammar. Are you really sure about that public school you went to?
Just like child molestation, child abuse is a learned misbehavior. This kid who was abused is going to grow up with all sorts of crazy impulses, and I really hope he gets some help.
I was abused, but I don't abuse my own. While background can cause problems and harm, they don't create an excuse, nor an automatic response. Individuals do have free will.
Nor need it be learned. An inability to cope can lead to any number of unhealthy responses for oneself or others.
True Michael. I was abused as a child also. I chose NOT to abuse because of the abuse I suffered.
Read the headline and thought, "Please don't let it be Florida..." DOH! Guess the kid should be thankful he didn't just disappear in the Green Swamp.
Jail time may be the exchange of the boy's kneeling time.
Reminds me of catholic school.
sam, back in the day when I was 4, I was sent to a Catholic boarding school, then later went to a Catholic day school. This was before they began to accept state money.
Florida again..... poor kids.
SICKENING
Does Florida have some kind of monopoly on wackos lately?
We run them out of Oklahoma straight to Florida.......it is just as bad here.......every day another dead child in this state.
Right? Actually, though, it's been that way for a long time. Remember "Germany or Florida"? That is a game that was invented by the writers of Jimmy Kimmel Live, and was often played on Loveline by Adam Carolla - since at least 2003, I know. What happens is a story involving bizarre human behavior is read, at which point the hosts attempt to decide if the story was from Germany or Florida, which are the capitals of all that is disturbed and evil in the world.
Local Polk County humor:
Q: Know what Polk County kids get on their SAT tests?
A: Drool.
And as I said, that's local humor...even the locals know this place is whack.
home schooled?? the parents don't look that smart.doesn't the state control who can be certified to do home schooling?? a trip to the beer dist is probably considered a field trip...
Amen. We demand all sorts of education and certifications in our public school teachers, and still complain they're doing a lousy job and need better qualifications. Yet any yahoo with a lease on a trailer lot can "home school" their children? Parents who want to home school their children should be certified teachers.
There was a guy in my division (not my office, which I am glad for) who was homeschooling his kids some 20 years ago for religious reasons. I looked up our state's offender list, because I thought he might be off the list now, since it's been 20 years, and the kids would be in their 30s now. He's on the offender's list for life, for what he did to his own kids.
These people are absolutely insane, I hope they NEVER get that child back, and that he cuts off contact with them forever.
I can't imagine how painful that must've been, kneeling until you have blisters.....I'm really happy that the boy finally had the courage to run away and tell somebody.
FLORIDA!!!!! Wack-job capitol of the U.S.
Did you see those two... home school the kids.? I'll bet they can not even read themselves..
Back woods.........?
Mike-2522242 you're right. It just makes me so sad, because it's so unnecessary to hurt anyone like that; especially a child.
How is his school work going to improve if he is kneeling in the bathroom for 9 hours? Sounds like there wasn't too much homeschooling going on here and from the looks of the parents, it doesn't seem like he was going to learn anything from them.
Oh, I bet he was learning all about how to hate gays and people of color from them. They look like the typical person you see at those kinds of hate filled rallies. Any bets what they were teaching, indoctrinating, the kid is was more religious based than academic based?
Sandy, Missouri --- Back in my "hansomer" days, everyone said I look like Chevy Chase. With that appearance would I be at "hate filled rallies"?
BTW would you believe those grandparents are successful clothing designers? Yes! Many of their designs are sold in New York.
Mr. Righteous: "Back in my "hansomer" days, everyone said I look like Chevy Chase. With that appearance would I be at "hate filled rallies"?"
What has appearance got to do with the kinds of rallies you attend?
Handsome is as handsome does. Beauty is only skin deep. You can't tell a book by its cover. All that glitters is not gold. And other boring (but true) cliches... ;^)
How can someone be home schooled by a couple of morons. It may be a right to home school your kids but it is your responsibility that they become educated. Looks may be deceiving but those two just don't make me think of high IQ. It was their responsibility to convey knowledge. They decided to become teachers by deciding to home school the kid and next week they may want to become plumbers, carpenters, or brain surgeons. Now they decided to become child abusers and sadists with any luck at all they will spend five or six years in prison and hopefully they can no longer reproduce.
Homeschooling is the single biggest contributor to the ongoing hidden abuse of children since pioneering days.
I absolutely agree 100% and more.
I absolutely agree 100% that you are both full of uneducated crap.
Hope these two have some money saved to pay for therapy for the boy and girl.
I am not a big proponent of "home schooling". I personally have witnessed families who are suppose to be home schooling their kids and have seen the kids out playing in the yard for much of the day. I also question the lack of socialization that seems to go hand in hand with many home schooled kids. Many seem to be from ultra conservative "Christian" homes. The objective seems to be to have total control to what your kids are exposed to. I think that kids need to experience the real world and that the home / parents should educate their kids as to what is right and wrong. To think that parents can insulate their kids from bad influences by maintaining them in isolation from their peer groups is absurd. It would seem that many of these kids are in for adjustment problems when they have to deal with the real world outside of their immediate family. Just my opinion.
Ain't religion great?
Yep, just like a bad case of hemorrhoids.
I had to go back and reread the article. Where does it say anything about religion?
So, how much home schooling was accomplished in those 10 days if this boy spent 9 hours a day on his knees? Plus 1 shake a day is not enough food to energize the brain. These two are horrible. I would love to watch them on u-tube kneeling for 9 hours a day for 10 days straight and see how their knees are doing.
Limbag followers right wing wack jobs. Another example of southern extreamism. Stupid stupid people.
My, aren't we the kind, tolerant liberal? Idiot.
Cardster, y'all come down here to Alabama (or Alobama if you prefer) and let's talk about it.
You're surely implying that you northern folks are real smart. You aren't. And you yourself wouldn't know a right winger from a left winger, a tea bagger from a pigs arse. Your time would be better spent getting an education, at tax payers expense. yep, come on down here to ALABAMA, and we can discuss your ignorance here in Montgomery.
If there is anything left of you after Alabama, come on over to Louisiana...
Florida is a real Mecca for the insane.