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"A 6-year-old in kindergarten?" Earnest Johnson, the father of Salecia Johson, asked with disbelief. "They have no business calling the police and handcuffing my child," he told WMAZ-TV.
Police defended their actions during the incident which occurred last Friday at Creekside Elementary School in Milledgeville, Ga.
"Our policy states that any detainee transported to our station in a patrol vehicle is to be handcuffed in the back. There is no age discrimination on that rule," Milledgeville Police Chief Dray Swicord told WMAZ-TV.
The family on Tuesday demanded that the city change its policy, the Associated Press reported, and claimed the girl was shaken up while at the police station.
The police officer called to the school later wrote that he "noticed damage to school property and possible assault of other students and staff. I made six attempts to contact her mother via telephone."
"I attempted to calm Johnson down," he wrote in his incident report. "Johnson then pulled away and began actively resisting and fighting with me."
The principal, Dianne Popp, said "a small shelf struck her in the leg while Johnson was throwing items at her," according to the police report, and that the girl "tried several times to get out of the office. Johnson was observed biting the door knob of the office and jumping on the paper shredder and attempted to break a glass frame above the shredder."
Johnson was charged with assault and damage to property, WMAZ-TV reported, but she will not have to go to court because of her age.
Johnson's mother, Constance Ruff, says her daughter was suspended until the start of the next school year.
"She has mood swings some days, which all of us have mood swings some days," she told WMAZ-TV. "I guess that was just one of her bad days."
Asked by msnbc.com if the suspension means the girl will be held back a year, a school official had "no comment" and said the principal would have to respond to that but was not immediately available due to school testing.
The school district superintendent, Geneva Braziel, called the student's behavior "violent and disruptive," the Associated Press reported.
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Johnson's aunt, Candace Ruff, said the girl "might have misbehaved, but I don't think she actually misbehaved to the point that she should have been handcuffed and taken downtown to the police department."
"Call the police? Is that the first step? Or is there any other kind of intervention that can be taken to help that child," she asked.
Ruff added that the girl was by herself in a holding cell and complained about the handcuffs when she and her sister went to get her.
"She said they were really tight. She said they really hurt her wrists," Ruff told the Associated Press. "She was so shaken up when we went there to pick her up."
Swicord, the police chief, denied the child was held in a holding cell, with the Associated Press reporting that he said she was held in the department's squad room and given a Coke to try to calm her down.
Watch a video report about a Colorado student who was handcuffed last month.
This isn't the first time we've seen schoolchildren handcuffed by police. In Colorado last month, a 6th grader was handcuffed and taken to a juvenile holding facility for disobeying an assistant principal and being "argumentative and extremely rude," according to the police report.
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This kid needs a special school, possibly boot camp, until she can control herself and her parents might could use some parenting classes too. But if she's this violent handcuffs could do more harm than good if in a fit she severs her wrist. Most HW stores carry Velcro straps which could restrain her violent hands w/o risking injury.
But I find it disappointing and difficult to believe that the best tool the cops can come up with for this is handcuffs. Really? Is this the best we can do? Sounds more like lazy law enforcement ignoring the fact that some parents are unfit and result in this type of kid. Granted, this family has issues, but given an uncontrollably violent kid in schools and parents unavailable/unable to control the kid, I see the cops as the only alternative. Given that, the cops need a better way to handle this; just lucky there were no real criminals in that holding cell w/her.
And just what were public employees supposed to do with the little hellion? This is a really nice example of what this whole country has come to. Let the little monkeys rage all they want, they are just "expressing themselves". What a bunch of Dr Spock Schlock. Give me a nice handled 1 by 6 with some holes drilled in it and I'll show you why God put padding on little behinds. Lord knows the simple minded parents aren't going to bother. 12 and pregnant on public assistance is where this one is headed, probably coached all the way by her relatives who excuse it all.
How did Doug determine this was related to politics? Must say that part of the problem is that we must blame someone other than the child's behavior. Sounds like if the child has violent tendencies, having her in a regular classroom, school, etc. is dangerous. If you think because she's 6 that she cannot be harmful to your child, wife, husband (whoever works or goes to that school) your wrong. Age doesn't determine the risks. Sounds like counseling is warranted to me. Just saying. I had a daughter in a public school until her 10th grade. During the end of the 9th grade, a "young" man (19 years old) had already been suspended for attacking a "special needs child". His first day back from that suspension, during the middle of a class mind you, he began choking my daughter for no apparent reason. By the way, she weighed every bit of 90 pounds. Had her on the floor before the teacher could get to him. The prinicipal calls to let us know that "Kim's a little upset, not hurt." I asked what the plan was for this "young man".....Well, I guess we need to consider alternative schooling, YOU THINK? So, do we wait for little miss moody to kill someone or do we seek measures now?
THIS is why we should still allow spankings in school! You turn one over your knee and whallop them a few times...that will get their attention!
Gee, did they get to do a full body-cavity search on the kid as well? That probably made their day--or at least one of them.
No. That was handled by the pedophiles in the holding cell they threw her into.
If you have children they should be taken away for their safety. You are mentally deficient
Can't say that principal exactly earned her paycheck... Do we have to pay her for side stepping the issue and calling police ??? Womans backing up to the paymasters window on that one...
if you read the article right they tried to call the mother 6 times and she did not answer !!
Little kids are more like little monsters these days. I hope this got the 6 year old's attention but it's not likely.
Little monsters turn into big monsters.
Wow. The mom thinks the police are wrong. No surprise. She threw a fit, threw furniture, tore things off the walls, threw a shelf which injured someone, jumped on a shredder, tried to break a glass frame, bit a door knob, wouldn't calm down for a police officer, and there were concerns for other children. BUT SHE IS HAVING A BAD DAY DUE TO MOOD SWINGS. Wow. Officer tried to get mom by telephone six times. What is seven the lucky number that she answers her phone. That kid is a brat who is allowed to behave as she wants. Would love to see pictures of their home. Probably destroyed completely. Mom should be forced to go to parenting classes and social service should make home visits. Auntie Candace thinks that is midbehaving. She has a problem too. That kid does have major problems. In need of psychiatrict care now. School officials and police officer were right. Parents are completely wrong.
I can't believe all the silly people supporting arresting,handcuffing, and detaining a 6 year old in a holding cell. SMDH
What would you have done? Chut the door and let her go to town?
I think they did right seeing as mom would not answer her phone
let me guess -- ur the dad -- the person that supports not holding violent and destructive children accountable and that would sue the school for trying to detain this violent kid.
I agree w/Jennifer but I'm disappointed that handcuffs and a holding cell are the best we can do with a mentally disturbed 6 y/o. Good thing there were no real criminals in that holding cell aye?
I agree...we need to build child friendly facilities and start utilizing them for these monsters.
This is a disgrace! What kind of so called professional educators are these!. I come from a family of teachers and actuatlly there are more that 8 teachers in my family, never ever would they take the lazy and easy road with a child misbehaving or not. I am up-hold by the brutality(look at webster dictionary for meaning) of the police, a child, a child! I have known an occation that police shoot point blank at a mental patience instead of restraining or shooting to the legs.
boo -- teachers are not parents. I feel sorry for these educators that have to deal with violent children. They don't belong in the classroom if that's how they behave and clearly sending them back to the same parents that made them that way will not help. Bravo to the teachers. I cna't believe anyone would thing otherwise.
I guess they think their little cutie can get away with anything, let this be a lesson to the parents that if your unruly, disrespectful child commits damage or harm to anyone at any age, then they need to be dealt with. A child at that age acting out that way has problems with herself or the parents have escalated her problems by letting her throw temper tantrums. I say it is the parents place to raise their children and not the police, teachers or society. It is time for parents to get a grip on their children and get some order back into their lives. Kids are telling their parents what to do in some houses and other children think it is ok when they see this behavior, so parents start now in deciding who is gonna raise who, you or the child.
The parents seem like real winners. No wonder the girl is out of control. If I'd have acted like that as a 6 year old, I'd have begged to be taken into custody rather than face what my mom would have to say about it! Good grief. if my son did anything like that, I'd handcuff him myself and toss him into that holding cell so quick, and leave him there until he was ready to behave himself!!! Mood swings my eye. There is no excuse for that kind of behavior. If the child really cannot control herself, she needs a psychiatric evaluation.
http://www.13wmaz.com/news/article/178448/175/Milledgeville-Police-Handcuff-6-Year-Old-Girl
This is a very sad story... The child actually states there was 'no reason' for why she was handcuffed.
How unfortunate her parents are not willing to teach her responsibility for her own actions.
Oh now I see...the 6 year was black...that explains all the comments here, if it had been a little white girl...the comments would be much different.
Absolutely not Greg.. color has nothing to do with misbehaving. I actually cannot believe you are making this a race issue. Below is my original comment which I still stand by. I was simply posting the correct video as the one featured with the story was about a 6th grader and not the featured story.
I have always sided with the parents in any of the school/police 'put their hands on my kid', but in this case I am not. This is beyond a mood swing and I personally think beyond a temper tantrum. Someone, possibly a doctor has told the mother about mood swings. The school absolutely needed to call the police and this child needed to be cuffed for her own safety and the safety of the other children and adults. Hopefully, the mother will look at this incident as a wake-up call to get her child into counseling for her 'mood swings' and not a how dare anyone touch my poor child scenario. It truly sounded like this child was way beyond any reasonable control, throwing a bookshelf, biting a door knob, standing on a paper shredder. For those who say do not touch my child, I guess you are saying let every other kid in the class get hurt as long as your child who is throwing items is not hurt.
Obviously we're dealing a "child" with physiological issues, what she needed was mental heath care, not handcuffs and a jail cell.
When parents fail to provide proper direction and teach their children there is recourse for inappropriate behavior they - the parents, are responsible for the consequences. This is a prime example of a parent shirking responsibility and then blaming everyone else for they're own failures.
One wonders how many more examples of bad parenting this situation can provide. Mmmmm how about a law suit against the police and school district.
Good job Jay. You must mean Salem OR.
Doing this to a 6 year old seems a little bit much, but it is never to soon to give a child some proper direction, so they don't end up a statistic later in their life. Every child needs structure, regular guidance and all forms of discipline to keep them in check or line, so that they grow up to be a well balanced adults that can contribute to their lives and the world that they live in.
Children are not above the law. Police simply did not discriminate because she was a child. Good for them. They should take the parents to jail too. She harmed someone and could have hurt others and damaged property. Criminal actions. Her age should be taken into consideration after the fact and handled accordingly. Get over it.......you break the law, you face the law. Because of this little monster, property was damaged and someone was injured and others could have been with a shelf falling over.
She is 6..years..old.. This nothing but typical abuse of authority by police. I see lawsuts...
I see a child with major problems !!
Where is the abuse part? Handcuffs are a STANDARD form of restraint to PROTECT others from being harmed. This child was VIOLENT and HARMED someone and the teachers can't do anything because they will be sued! Then you will criticize the teachers for not handling properly. Can't win. Another person that doesn't hold children accountable and thinks they should be coddled when the very same children are harming others. I saw no documentation of "abuse".....you are full of $hit.
I hope the school sues the parents... the kid damaged property and caused someone injury.............and likely emotional distress. The cops--- followed the law. Lawsuit dismissed.
Only people to blame here are the parents. Parents take responsible and get your child some help. I am sure this is not the first time your child has acted up. Some of these adults should have never had kids, cause they don't or won't take responsible of their own kids behavior. Parents have to grow up first to set the example for their child.
for the mother to say the child has mood swings some days and this was prob a bad for is is outragious !! Either the child is in need of some major displine or some major therapy along with MOM !!!! For the moth to not aknowledge that the cild has problems in itself is criminal and to neglect and should be adressed to the proper authorities !!
Just wait til the day this gal becomes your boss, must be early-onset PMS!
There are SO many things I could say about this, especially since I work in a charter school. But I'll leave it at this: after reading the comments the "parents" made in this article, SOME PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO PROCREATE!!!!!
:O)
agreed. That's the main problem here actually.
"Has problems with authority figures."
I have no doubt in my mind that come next week, the school will have that kid on downers. The problem isnt the kid, but the system. parents are afraid to discipline their kids in fear of going to jail and this is what we have. a society of children who have become unruly and disrespectful.
LOL its the American way, Instead of a azz spanking put them on drugs instead..
Always the school's fault.
Did anybody call for an exorcist?
let the parents pay for all damage the child has done and send them to parenting classes to teach their child that school is a place to learn not destroy. If I did this when I went to school my parents would have beat my butt and that is the problem the parents want to uphold them teach your children how to act before you send them to school. Try being parents not friends, when i grew up who ever caught you doing wrong punished you and then took you home for more.