Monday, February 28, 2011

Boy,8, Arrested Over School Tantrums

An 8-year-old boy was arrested earlier this week after being accused of running from teachers at school, throwing sticks and injuring one of them.


School administrators on Tuesday called the Orange County Sheriff's Office, who arrested the special education student and charged him with battery. It's the fifth time since November that he has been arrested after being accused of fighting with teachers at the school, but according to police reports, none of the teachers suffered serious injuries.


The public defender's office said deputies came to Riverside Elementary on Tuesday for the child's latest attack on teachers. The child now has a mug shot and a rap sheet.


Parents at the school wonder why.


"That's terrible," said Connie Dewitt. "I'd be distraught. Arrested? They're just kids. Somebody else should be doing something about it. The school should be doing something. There should definitely be something in place to help the child."


In one police report, the boy's teacher said the boy "bit his left knee and kicked him," leaving "a slight red mark" about "the size and shape of the top of an eraser of a pencil."


Last month, the same teacher said the boy "struck him with the chair and fist," and said at one point the boy was "chasing other students around the classroom threatening to kill them." According to the police report, no one was ever seriously injured, but the teacher called deputies for an arrest each time.


The boy's mother said her child "doesn't act this way at home."


A representative for the Orange County School District said each incident is reviewed on a case by case basis, and it's up to the administrator to maintain order in the school and sometimes law enforcement can be called. The district said law enforcement takes over the case from there.
The boy appeared in court Friday and saw his mother for the first time after being held at the Juvenile Detention Center for three days.
The judge chastised his mother for not following through with previous recommendations to get the boy counseling.


"He's your responsibility. We really don't want to be a part of his life," the judge said.
The mother's attorney said the school district had failed them.
"Students who have special needs should be given appropriate services, including counseling and behavioral services," attorney Barbara Glass aid.
The judge ordered the child to mandatory counseling outside of the classroom.
A district spokesman said he could not talk about the case specifically, but said principals are required to maintain order in their schools, which sometimes requires calling law enforcement.
Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.



www.clickorlando.com
POSTED: Thursday, February 24, 2011
UPDATED: 5:40 pm EST February 25, 2011


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