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<p>Because I’m sure the parents are thrilled when they have to take off a day at work to stay home with the kid…</p>
<p>So how would you punish him? And “teach him?”</p>
<p>At that age, the suspension is not so much for the child as for the parent/guardian who has to provide child care. When my son was in first grade, one of his classmates already had a reputation for saying and doing inappropriate things, some really explicit. This child was desperate for attention. I had heard the rumors when they were in kindergarten and did not believe a boy that age would be doing such things. When I volunteered in the first grade classroom, I questioned my own skeptism. This child appeared “wise” beyond his years, most definitely street smart. I also doubt that his frequent suspensions did much good. </p>
<p>A postscript on my young friend. When the boys were in 4th grade, his grandfather came to school to do a poetry reading. Although the poetry was not the best I had ever heard, it was good and really touched emotions. My young friend got some attention in a positive way from both teachers and classmates. I think having Grandpa in his life really started to turn him around.</p>
<p>As long as his mother doesn’t see a problem, nothing the school can do will correct this kid. </p>
<p>He should have been suspended.</p>
<p>He’s a 6 year old special education student. Rather than giving him a few days off as punishment, IMO–they could have helped to make this a real teaching moment for him.
Perhaps an in-school suspension where the counselor spends some time actually explaining to the boy in language that he can understand why his actions were inappropriate, teach him about the effects of bullying, and perhaps even get the two students together on his last day of in-school suspension and have him apologize to the girl.</p>
<p>I really don’t think giving a 6 year old a three day out of school suspension for this offense is going to teach him anything. It may punish the Mom, but the school may have missed out on a valuable teaching moment for the boy.</p>
<p>However, if the school met with the boy and his mother previously about an earlier incident identical to this one and were told that suspension would be the consequence if he did the same thing again, then the school needs to follow through with the consequence. I still believe the boy would have learned more of a lesson if he were given an in-school suspension which consisted of counseling, keeping up with class work, denied recess and fun things like computer time–gym–and in this case, art which he seems to enjoy, and made to personally apologize to the girl.</p>
<p>My thought is that a six year old who is exhibiting that sort of behavior himself, must be exposed to quite a bit of modeling & with others viewing it in a positive light, to decide it is something he wants to imitate.</p>
<p>I think the parents should be required to take a parenting class, because I suspect inappropriate aggressive sexual behavior isn’t his only concern.</p>
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<p>When D1 was in kindergarten, we got tired of having to ride her all morning in order to get out the door on time. Finally, DH told her “I’m leaving at 7:15.” When she sauntered into the kitchen at 7:23, and said “where’s Dad?” I told her “He left at 7:15.” She got hysterical that she would miss the school day and have to spend it at home. She was never late again.</p>
<p>But she loved school. Don’t know about this kid.</p>
<p>I agree with the above that I hope that the school didn’t merely issue the suspension. I sincerely hope that they addressed it with the child and his parent and attempted to make this a learning opportunity. If the parent doesn’t support the school’s theory that his behavior is unacceptable, it’s all a lost cause.</p>
<p>“But everyday? (in response to mini)”</p>
<p>It’s a hell hole run by a bunch of idiots every day. Just occasionally they make it into the media.</p>
<p>I think this is ridiculous. First of all, this is a song that is used in commercials, so a parent can’t necessarily be faulted for the kids’ exposure. Second, really? Do we really think a six year old knows what the word “sexy” is and how it applies? I shudder when I think of the “cute” things we encouraged our kids to do when they were young, funny dances etc. I’m shocked our three boys weren’t expelled.</p>
<p>SJTH…You’re correct in that the parents can’t necessarily be faulted for exposure to certain material. But they ABSOLUTELY can be faulted for not teaching their children what types of behavior is acceptable in public. Most children grew up doing “cute” or “funny” things at home, but if you don’t explain to them that there are lines you don’t cross in public then you as a parent have failed in that instance. </p>
<p>This was not the first time this student had done the EXACT same thing, and it doesn’t sound like the student was suspended after the first incident. If the parent (again) chose to not teach the child what is and isn’t appropriate behavior after the first incident, that would be failure #2. </p>
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<p>Mini…Seriously?? Exactly how are you so familiar with the inner workings of the Aurora, CO school system? Do you have children in those schools? Are you a teacher or an administrator at those schools? It’s a hell hole and they’re all idiots because they enforced a policy in place to protect their students? How dare they?</p>
<p>Even the title of this thread is misleading. If they were blindly adhering to a “zero tolerance policy” the student would’ve been suspended after the first offense. I think the school gave the parent(s) of this student ample opportunity to actually…let me think of the right term here…PARENT…and they failed. Spectacularly so. Put the blame where it belongs.</p>
<p>( I thought he was talking about the cartoon I mentioned) I’m lost.
:o</p>
<p>“Exactly how are you so familiar with the inner workings of the Aurora, CO school system?”</p>
<p>Any school where they suspend a special education 6-year-old for copying a commercial put up by a bunch of adults is a hell hole. I’d shudder to know what the day-to-day experience in the Gulag is like.</p>
<p>“D’Avonte’s mother, Stephanie Meadows, told ABC7 News that her son had had disciplinary problems before this week’s infraction. Last month, she said, he was sent to the principal’s office for singing the same song to the same girl.
This time, however, he was “shaking his booty” near the girl’s face, Meadows told ABC7 News.”
Actually, I think the mom needs to be sent to some tolerance class. She’s the one introducing this to her son.</p>
<p>ETA,
For the record, this designation does not give anyone a free pass to misbehave.</p>
<p>mini…So in your world it’s socially acceptable to stick your rear-end in someone else’s face, shake it around, and sing inappropriate lyrics while doing so? In exactly what circumstances do you think this is acceptable behavior, for a child of any age or educational level? Dinner at your house must be a real hoot if this is your idea of “cute” entertainment.</p>
<p>The point you continue to overlook is that the student and the mother were told after the first instance that this behavior was unacceptable at school. As limabeans pointed out, a Special Ed designation doesn’t mean a license to misbehave. Many students have a Special Ed designation (504 Plan in our state) for a large variety of reasons. Using that as a crutch to excuse previously identified bad behavior is ridiculous, as is equating the school to a gulag for enforcing a policy…especially after giving appropriate and fair warning following the first instance.</p>
<p>Wolverine ( off topic a bit sorry). So are you saying your state doesn’t write IEP plans for students with a special education designation, that falls under IDEA- federal Law, which mandates FAPE? ( free appropriate public education ) but addresses their needs under section 504, Of the rehabilitation act of 1973, which is a civil rights law? I don’t think there is any state that is exempt from IDEA, but if the boy has impulse control issues, it should be addressed in his IEP. </p>
<p>I can see this boy growing up to be one of those men who don’t think “no” applies to them, if his parents don’t help him learn appropriate behavior. But I am not clear just how severe his special needs are. Does he really have no impulse control, or are the adults around him giving him the signal that his behavior is “normal”?</p>
<p>If his behavior is too impulsive to be managed in the classroom, perhaps he needs a self contained setting with a smaller classroom & an aide as well as a trained teacher.</p>
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<p>It is likely a matter of terms getting misused and mixed…</p>
<p>emeraldkity…It is simply a matter of terminology. Our Special Ed/Special Needs/LD/ADD/ADHD etc. students are designated as 504 Plan students, but each one is indeed covered by an IEP which is developed jointly by the student, their parents, school counselors, and the students teachers. The IEP is reviewed annually as the student progresses and has new teachers, to ensure it’s current and all personnel involved are aware of any issues.</p>
<p>Quote: For the record, this designation does not give anyone a free pass to misbehave.</p>
<p>Actually, sometimes it does. A group of special education students were assigned to my H’s middle school (he has been teaching there for 18 years), integrated into all the regular classrooms. After a year and a half of these students being allowed to flip off administrators, yell F-U to anyone they felt like at any time, and assault teachers and administrators, they were finally re-assigned. This after several incidents where a teacher and an administrator required hospitalization after being physically attacked. Teachers were told to put up with foul language, all kinds of disturbances and assaults because these children were special education students and had had problems with self-control and anger… No special training was given to any of the teachers, nor were they forewarned. </p>
<p>I agree that the special ed designation should not allow a free pass for bad behavior. As far as the kid in the story, I wish they would have done an in-school suspension for a few days, the way NYsmile suggested, require the parent to be present, and include counseling for the parent. Without the parent admitting that the kid was behaving inappropriately, the kid is doomed. This parent couldn’t see that her kid’s behavior was offensive? Makes you wonder what else this poor child is exposed to at home.</p>
<p>If Zero Tolerance was applied to those that wield it, the practice would soon stop. </p>
<p>Injustices is the hallmark of ill-intend righteousness.</p>
<p>I wonder how this discussion would be going if the story were being told from the point of view of the girl he “entertained”.</p>
<p>BTW, watch the ■■■■■ video. If some kid were doing that in the face of my 6 year old daughter I’d be incensed.</p>
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This is totally unacceptable and I am a teacher. Thank goodness these kids were reassigned because if that didn’t happen before a REAL problem occured, your school system would be facing major lawsuits.</p>
<p>And I stick by my comment that the designation of being a special ed student does not give a free pass to misbehave, although certainly students (and their parents) would like that. What will they do after they all done with school? Gotta cope somehow, sometime.</p>
<p>And regarding the earlier discussion of PL94-142 and 504: the former requires an IEP, but not the latter. For further discussion, look it up. Kids who have ADD fall under the protection of 504, but not PL-94-142.</p>