How Much Leeway Should Teachers Have When Disciplining Children?
Written by: Kim Sawyer
This question stems from a story that I read in the Washington Post. It seems that in Maryland, a teacher’s aide taped several student’s mouths shut while they were in the cafeteria during lunch time. A sixth-grade-student said the teacher’s aide did this because the students disobeyed an order to stop talking. This happened at the Flintstone Elementary School in Oxon Hill, Maryland and one of the students whose mouth was taped shut is only six-years-old. Six-years-old! Now, as disturbing as this is, do you think this is an isolated event? Let me answer you – No!
Just to see how many times this has happened, I googled the phrase, “teacher tapes kids mouth shut” and received tons of stories about this happening. It happened in 2007 in Queens, New York at Flushing Fields Play School. The student was only four-years-old. It happened in 2008 in Lafayette, Indiana at Battle Ground Middle School. The student was a special-needs student. It happened in 2006 in Bakersfield, California at Bakersfield High School. It happened in February of this year in Nashville, Tennessee at the Park Avenue Elementary School. This teacher even went so far as to tape the student to their chair while they took a test!
I could go on and one about this particular incident happening at schools across the country. Because it’s happening at so many schools, in different regions of the country, it makes me seriously think that this is a common occurrence in our school system. It’s not until it becomes newsworthy that the school administrators take action! Why in the world are school administrators allowing this to happen? This is so wrong for so many reasons. One being it’s dangerous because it’s extremely difficult to breathe when your mouth is taped shut! As a parent, I cannot think of any excuse of why this would be acceptable. What about you?
Should we allow teachers to discipline our children? If so, how much leeway should we give them?
Tags: teacher places duct tape over kids mouth, teacher tapes kid to a chair, teacher tapes kids mouth shut
March 9th, 2009 at 8:44 am
I have never heard of this in my life! A four year old, or even a six year old, is entirely too young for this potentially traumatizing act! Without a doubt this is wrong, but on top of that, it is very humiliating, even if they are just youngsters! This is the kind of thing people get away with because they are doing it to little, helpless, defenseless kids.
March 9th, 2009 at 9:17 am
Me neither! When I googled it and saw all of those other incidents, I wondered why it doesn’t get national attention. This is crazy. I think in one case, the family is suing the school system. But what’s even crazier is that initially the teachers who do this, they are placed on administrative leave!
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March 9th, 2009 at 9:26 am
I’ve never had my mouth taped shut and I don’t plan on having it happen… ever. People who get there mouths taped are usually being robbed or have been taken hostage. I don’t think a 6 year old fits the category. This is ludicris, rediculous and any other unnacceptable thing anyone can come up with. My son isn’t quite school age and won’t be for a few more years but if I ever heard that a teacher taped his mouth shut at school there is going to be a price to pay for that teacher. I’m not saying I’d get violent with them, but an eye for an eye right. I work with students everyday and I’d like to do a lot of things but I can’t because they are just not right no matter how annoying they are.
March 9th, 2009 at 10:38 am
I feel you Aaron. It just happens too much and not just in one particular region, you know what I mean? Now, in your case, with those students, you guys show a lot of restraint:–)
March 9th, 2009 at 11:19 am
Yeah you could say that we show a lot of restraint. And ya know I don’t think anyone could blame me for wanting to throttle one or two students.
The difference is that I have adults not 6 year olds, even if they sometime act like 6 year olds.
March 9th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
When I was in elementary, kids could get paddled by the principal for being bad. I’m not sure if there were guidelines for what would get you a paddling vs. a stern lecture. These days it’is illegal, even though there are some really bad kids out there that need some sort of discipline, though not physical. My kids go to a private school but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen in their school. As a parent, I would probably sue, demand the teacher’s termination, then change schools.
March 9th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
I know. Don’t forget one was also 4 years old! Regardless though, it shouldn’t be allowed, but I honestly think it is – until it becomes publicized.
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March 9th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
I remember when I was in high school, my English teacher kept a paddle by his desk! Now, paddling is illegal, but taping a kids mouth shut is not! How crazy is that?
Kim Sawyer´s last blog post..How Much Leeway Should Teachers Have When Disciplining Children?
March 9th, 2009 at 9:35 pm
I can imagine these incidents are kept under wraps because principals may not want to lose their jobs and their may be politics within the school. Illegal things happen all the time and they often go without being reported. Would a principal really want to be the one to trigger someone losing their paycheck in this economy?
Most of the responsibility should fall to the parents. Discipline starts with the parents and our society is set up for parents to fail and fail miserably. Having said that, it goes without saying that these kids’ mouths should not have been taped shut. That is just stupid – if I was the teacher I would try to get the child removed from class/school.
I think teachers’ salaries should be doubled across the board; it would make our country smarter. Think about it, if teachers made more money the occupation would attract better teachers. Better teachers would be more effective equaling smarter kids.
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