District defends kindergartner's sexual misconduct discipline

[damnedifIknow]

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- An assistant superintendent for the Dysart Unified School District defends calling a kindergartner's actions "sexual misconduct."

Five-year-old Eric Lopez pulled his pants down on the playground at Ashton Ranch Elementary School last Spring and received a punishment of detention for what the school has deemed sexual misconduct.

Eric now has a note that will remain in his permanent file for the duration he attends Dysart schools. His mother was not notified of the incident or the note her son signed in the assistant principal's office until after the fact.

District policy states that a parent does not have to be present for a disciplinary meeting unless the student requests his or her parent.

"He did not know that he could ask for me," said Eric's mother, Erica Martinez "He's 5."

Martinez has been fighting for two months to have the sexual misconduct label removed from her son's file, saying Eric's actions were not sexual in any way. So far, the district has denied her appeal."

*Under its definitions for sexual offenses, the state recommends that every district take into account the age and maturity of a student before placing their actions in the sexual offense category."

http://www.azfamily.com/news/District-defends-kindergartners-sexual-misconduct-discipline--264988721.html

[MannyGoldstein]

1. Lunatics. nt

[damnedifIknow]

2. And on that note I shall retire for the evening

Oh America..........

[Journeyman]

3. And as I post in all such threads, still there are those who do not understand the total contempt...

I have for public education.

[kcr]

8. They don't understand it because it makes no sense

If that is what you're basing your contempt on. Do you have contempt for everything that has ever had a negative story about it on the news? If so, you must have a pretty miserable existence.

[Journeyman]

10. Not at all. A relatively optimistic individual. . .

My experiences, however, both personally and those of my children, have formed my exceptionally low opinion of public education.

As to this sordid incident, where were the child's teachers when this petty bureaucrat was preening like a feral cock? Why did no one charged with the child's care step forward to advocate on his behalf? And what opinion should decent people have towards the base cowards in our midst, those who will not stand up against baseless ignorance?

No. Contempt is the polite word I use to describe my feelings.

[kcr]

12. What do you suppose the teachers were supposed to do?

Do you imagine they have power to overrule beaurocrats decisions? If so, it would explain your attitude about public education.

[Journeyman]

13. And thus my contempt. What could they do? What ever could they do? . . .

How about starting with a phone call to the parents?

[kcr]

14. Well, there you go, then.

Clearly, the only conclusion to jump to is that the teachers did absolutely nothing and therefore your condemnation of an institution that allows access for education for all is totally valid and rational.

[DrDan]

19. evil . . . totally evil . . .

[MannyGoldstein]

20. I've dealt with public and private schools

As a hobby, my wife and I help families of kids with disabilities to deal with special ed stuff.

At least in Mass, the public-school folks are way more tolerant, and less likely to do zero-tolerance nonsense as in this OP. I always assumed that it's because private-school staff can be fired much more easily so they're afraid to do anything that's not 100% by the school rules, even if those rules are silly because certain situations were not anticipated when the rules were written.

[bluesbassman]

4. The child "signed" a note?

He's five years old, his signature has no legal weight. What the hell did they make him "sign"? A confession? An admission of guilt? Sounds like the vice principal went way overboard.

[Fridays Child]

9. Arizona, USA

In the aggregate, examples of sanity, around here, are becoming increasingly rare.

[The Magistrate]

16. Exactly, Sir: How In Pluperfect Hell Can a Five Year Old Sign Anything?

[defacto7]

5. The sexual misconduct

is that of the school district administration for subjecting a 5 year old acting out normal childhood behavior to their own act of sexualization of a child. I would classify the behavior of the administration as child sexual abuse by ignorance. Their position of authority requires them to have a certain capability in child psychology to know the difference between protecting a child from abuse and subjecting them to abuse by sexualizing their normal behavior.

Those responsible should be charged with child sexual misconduct.

[AverageJoe90]

6. This is just plain stupid. He's FIVE for goodness' sakes.

Frankly, enough of this no-tolerance bullshit already.

[winter is coming]

7. And if he'd bitten another child, would have have a record for "violent behavior" following him

around for years?

[Trillo]

11. Maybe he needed to take a crap. NT

[Eleanors38]

17. What I was thinking.

[woo me with science]

15. Sick.

We are growing this. The messaging in this country, the punitive bent, the viciousness, the utter lack of common sense and sense of proportion, is just sick.

I just came from a thread where people were arguing that a man should be fired because he gave away a muffin to a homeless person.

Some days you just want to weep for all of us.

[bluestateguy]

18. A sanction is appropriate, but sexual misconduct?

Like I always say, school administrators are not usually some of the sharpest tools in the shed.

[spanone]

21. what a sick nation.