Handcuffing an out-of-control Georgia kindergartner. Was there a better response?
UPDATE Tuesday at 1:22 p.m.: Since writing about this yesterday when there was just the one news story, this incident has drawn widespread attention around the country.
The AJC now has a more detailed story online.
That story states:
Police said a small shelf thrown by the child struck the principal in the leg during the fracas. The child also jumped on a paper shredder and tried to break a glass frame, the police report states. The school called police. When an officer tried to calm the child in the principal’s office, she resisted, police say. She “was restrained by placing her hands behind her back and handcuffed,” a police report states.
A juvenile complaint was filed, accusing the girl of simple battery and damage to property. The police department’s policy is to handcuff people when they are taken to the police station, regardless of their age, interim Police Chief Dray Swicord said. “The reason we handcuff detainees is for the safety of themselves as well as the officer,” he said Tuesday.
The girl’s aunt, Candace Ruff, went with the child’s mother to pick her up from the police station. She said Salecia had been in a holding cell and complained about the handcuffs. “She said they were really tight. She said they really hurt her wrists,” Ruff said. “She was so shaken up when we went there to pick her up.”
The police chief said the girl was taken to the police department’s squad room, not a holding cell, and officers there tried to calm her and gave her a Coke.
The girl was suspended and can’t return to school until August, her mother, Constance Ruff, told WMAZ-TV, which first reported the story.
“We would not like to see this happen to another child, because it’s horrifying. It’s devastating,” her aunt told The Associated Press.
Here is the original post from Monday:
A few folks sent me links to this news story out of Milledgeville where an officer handcuffed a kindergartner for what police said were safety concerns about the child’s out-of-control behavior.
The readers who sent me the link to this story disapprove of the strong police response, insisting there are better ways to contain and calm a hysterical 6-year-old than clamping handcuffs on her. Afterward, the child was charged with simple assault and damage to property.
I read the comments posted to the WMAZ-TV site, and local respondents split over whether this was an overreaction. I expect we will hear more about this story and a more detailed police response.
According to the police report, a kindergartner was crying in the principal’s office at Creekside Elementary before police arrived Friday. The report says when the officer tried to calm the child, she resisted and was cuffed.
The little girl is accused of tearing items off the walls and throwing furniture. The report mentions the girl knocked over a shelf that injured the principal. Police say they tried to contact her mother but weren’t able to reach her. They took the child to the police station where she was charged with simple assault and damage to property. Because of her age, she will not have to go to court and will not be sentenced.
Her mother, Constance Ruff. says her daughter was suspended and cannot return to school until August. “She has mood swings some days, which all of us had mood swings some days. I guess that was just one of her bad days that day,” said Constance Ruff.
“A 6-year-old in kindergarten. They don’t have no business calling the police and handcuffing my child,” said Earnest Johnson, Salecia’s father.
“She might have misbehaved, but I don’t think she misbehaved to the point where she should have been handcuffed and taken downtown to the police department,” said her aunt, Candace Ruff. “Call the police? Is that the first step? Or is there any other kind of intervention that can be taken to help that child?”
WMAZ spoke with other police and sheriff’s departments. None of them could remember handcuffing a child that young. They say the use of handcuffs would be at the officer’s discretion and based on whether the child is a threat to herself or others.
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
499 comments Add your comment
BuckeyeInGa
April 17th, 2012
8:13 am
This disturbs me. A quote from the link provided:
She has mood swings some days, which all of us had mood swings some days. I guess that was just one of her bad days that day,” said Constance Ruff, the child’s mother
A. Anderson
April 17th, 2012
8:14 am
If a parent did the same thing to his/her own child… he/she would be locked up on cruelty and abuse charges. Other glaring peices from the article…. “the mother could not be reached”… no fathers info on file? no grandmother?… Suggest a single mother.
gadem
April 17th, 2012
8:15 am
this is what educators have to deal with on a day to day basis, and then you have johnny come lately second guessing the response of everybody when THEIR child was the one out of control. You can not “discipline” children anymore because it is deemed abuse. We ALL were disciplined in school, there are always consequences for your actions.
philospher
April 17th, 2012
8:15 am
For real? Mood swings??? Glad I won’t be around when she reaches puberty!
MAY HAVE BEEN A LAST RESORT
April 17th, 2012
8:20 am
This was probably the only way to handle this child if she was injuring teachers & destroying school property. They couldn’t give her a good old fashion belt whipping so what could they do.
Wake Up Call
April 17th, 2012
8:20 am
Why you handcuff a kid because of crying…These police is out of control I am suprise they didnt taser the little kid.
commoncents
April 17th, 2012
8:21 am
The people who are saying the MPD over-reacted probably have children that behave like this. And unless she somehow accidentally ingested meth, this “tantrum” probably wasn’t the first one!
A. Anderson
April 17th, 2012
8:22 am
Just listened to the local news report on this case….. So a 6 year old girl was charged with assualt, handcuffed and taken to jail for having a temper-tantrum. Miledgeville better open a daycare unit wing to the county jail.
I can handle ANY six year old
April 17th, 2012
8:23 am
I am a parent. I can handle ANY six year old without cuffs.
If the officer cannot hold the child by the hand or hug the child or do anything else besides the cuffs…
FIRE the officer.
If the officer is a man, he needs his genitalia removed.
Any real man who cannot physically hold a child into submission needs his n&ts removed and has no right to call himself a man.
He needs to be a eunich somewhere serving the queen.
A complete disgrace.
He needs to be fired.
Dennis
April 17th, 2012
8:23 am
I guess they could have tazered her. I have no problem with what the police did. Obviously the child learned this tactic at home. By the way, where was the 6 year old’s momma anyway. Couldn’t reach her, seriously. The school (government) will take care of them, not to worry, go on with your life. Don’t let your child become a burden or prevent you from doing what you want.
A. Anderson
April 17th, 2012
8:24 am
It would not make a difference if she had 100 tempertantrums before…. that’s what 6 year olds do! But they are not sent to jail for having them. But it was in this case…… WHY!?!
ames
April 17th, 2012
8:25 am
Its about time that we started displing these kids. I use to work at a daycare and i know children who would act like this. There is no calming them down. I think the officer did the right thing. It doesnt hurt the child to restrain her like that. The child was hurting not only herself but others around her. Its time we took concern on the people the child is hurting and not on how this will affect her “self esteem.” Who knows, she may learn something from it. with action comes consequence, no matter how young.
Actually
April 17th, 2012
8:27 am
This could be the result of bad parenting (alot of that going around) or she could have a disability that hasn’t been diagnosed. A trip to a health care professional is in order for her AND her parents to see where the issue lies.
Liz
April 17th, 2012
8:28 am
“They say the use of handcuffs would be at the officer’s discretion and based on whether the child is a threat to herself or others.”
Everyone hears handcuffs and thinks its an overreaction. Try being a police officer before offering biased judgement of your own.
Raise Your Kids
April 17th, 2012
8:31 am
Sure, the big, bad policeman was way out of line here. Maybe he should have told the child she was going in “time out” or that she wouldn’t get to play with her favorite toy. This is garbage. If people would bother to raise their kids instead of letting them run free, undisciplined, and free to do whatever they want at all times, this poor cop wouldn’t have been in this position.
Ask yourself, foolish AJC commenters, why was this police officer involved to begin with? Was this officer on routine patrol when he/she decided to jump out of the patrol car and run into the classroom to mess with a poor, innocent little angel who was just giving her teacher a little resistance to her juice box? No, friends. This child was being such a disruption, so unruly, that her teacher and school called in law enforcement. Even if this officer was a school resource officer (which is doubtful, most districts don’t have SROs until the middle school level) the fact remains that a teacher trained in how to deal with the minds of precious little angels threw up his or her hands and called in 5-0. That should tell you right there that this wasn’t any sort of typical situation with a typical child like when your handsome young man steps in a puddle after you tell him not to. No, this was a situation with a child who was flipping the hell out, obviously desperate for some sort of adult attention. Seems clear to me that this precious little angel wasn’t getting much home training. A police officer is not trained in early childhood education. Here are the tools a law enforcement officer has: negotiation, verbal commands, the laying on of hands for physical control, handcuffs, an ASP baton, a Taser, and a handgun. TELL US, oh, wise readers and lovers of children everywhere, WHAT was this officer supposed to do? Talking to the kid and telling her to chill out didn’t work. Ordering her to chill out didn’t work. So now what? Remember: teacher gave up. Peer students aren’t helping. The officer has a situation to deal with. Wait until the child tires herself out? At what cost to the school, gentle readers? The child was destroying property that must be replaced on YOUR dime, taxpayers of Macon. How high are you going to let her run up the tab until you want someone to take action? This officer didn’t abuse the child. He didn’t hit her, beat her, taser her, or shoot her. He placed her in physical restraints until she settled down. At that point, it was the only response, and the only reason any of you are freaking out about is because you’re not *thinking*, you’re just reacting with your own biases against law enforcement officers. It’s a tough job, but somebody’s gotta do it. Think before you pass judgment on the officer.
jj
April 17th, 2012
8:37 am
In Illinois all counselors are now being required to have not only a college degree in Education but also a major in social work. We continue to blame the state for being everything for everyone but remember it is the parents who have given up all responsibility for being the PARENT
Teacher Preacher
April 17th, 2012
8:38 am
You have no idea what some of these schools deal with. Sounds like this was a special needs child in a BIP program or something. Our school has this and a child would take of his close and run naked..the final straw was attacking a school bus driver and biting her arm…so many of these kids do not belong in a school setting.
jayone
April 17th, 2012
8:39 am
Ralph I couln’t agree with you more. Today we have gooten away from using the Board Of Education. We still as a society want to believe in a time out or talking will get your point across. Even parents believe in this. I for one still believe in the spare the rod spoil the child.
CH
April 17th, 2012
8:39 am
Contractor, funny! At least I hit a nerve! You idiot! Please know that if I was your neighbor, DFACS will be at your door. You pathetic idiot! Go to work!
jd
April 17th, 2012
8:41 am
Joan……you are so correct. My girlfriend is a kindergarten teacher in Georgia. Some of the stories she tells me about the behavior of these children amaze me. It has to do with the socio-economic background from which the child is reared. A lot of them are being taken care of by their grandparents. The mother or father is nowhere to be found. This child really needs intervention from various sources. The school did the appropriate response by having law enforcement come to their aid.
Teachers need discipline put back into schools. The teachers are handcuffed by tons of rules & regulations that prevent them from grasping out-of-control children.
cb
April 17th, 2012
8:49 am
This type of tantruming behavior is becoming the norm in K and 1st grade. These children are not getting their way and they tantrum. It happens all the time. Cograts to the school for calling the police. Maybe now parents will “teach” their children at home what is correct behavior and what is not! Parents are their child’s greatest and most influential teacher. Please teach your child, not enable them.
LeeH1
April 17th, 2012
8:53 am
It used to be that the teacher or principal would hold the child tight until the tantrum passed. However, with all the concerns about child molestation today, this sensible approach can no longer be used.
The polcie officer was correct. He needed to protect the child, the other people, and himself from a self-destructive and out of control child. All other measures that he could use are now out of bounds.
He did well to handcuff a wild child.
tron777
April 17th, 2012
8:54 am
What the belt don’t cure the buckle will.
tlc
April 17th, 2012
8:54 am
What other methods could’ve used to restrain this child? Her mother was not there to deal with it, she was out of control, she has harmed someone, therefore, I feel he did what was necessary. If he was to grab her while she’s irate and used physical force there would be child abuse charges.
He did not hit her, shake her, push her……. He restrained her from hurting herself or anyone else.
Leave the officer alone. He did what was necessary…….next story.
Veteran of Life
April 17th, 2012
8:54 am
This is an extreme example of what happens when discipline is missing in the home. This kid needs a permanent attitude adjustment starting at the seat of her pants!
skipper
April 17th, 2012
8:55 am
I saw the interview on 13 with her mother…..not judging but this lady was not in the running for an Ivy League scholarship. When we all came along, this kind of behaviour was not tolerated. If someone had turned over furniture and yanked stuff off the wall, they’d have gotten that tail torn up. These moms (and this is a stretch) ain’t getting it done. When you see the interview on channel 13, you may realize the acorn does not fall too far from the tree……..see the interview and realize what kind of folks we may be dealing with.
A Conservative Voice
April 17th, 2012
8:57 am
Police say they tried to contact her mother but weren’t able to reach her.
My thoughts are “she was probably used to this kind of behavior at home so she saw nothing wrong with it”. I mean, if she had a violent nature wouldn’t this have shown up before she was even allowed to attend a public school……..what kind of parent wouldn’t seek help for her and knowing her violent nature, not be able to be contacted. hmmmmmmm……..
DJ
April 17th, 2012
8:57 am
If a child is so out of control that the teachers in authority, the counselors, and the principal cannot control the child or calm them down, then YES it was appropriate to call law enforcement before someone was seriously injured, possibly even the child. And then who would you blame? This child’s behavior started long before she entered a classroom. The parent or parents are responsible for her behavior, and should be legally liable for any damages and charges. Not everyone is emotionally equipped, nor mature enough, to parent a child and the classroom is not the machine to be used for raising, disciplining or parenting. That must begin at home.
Ga Parent x2
April 17th, 2012
8:59 am
This goes to show you that our tax dollars are not spent on training educators on conflict resolution. We have created this “call the cops” society and rely too much on the government to fix things that, we ourselves, have the ability to control.
Nikki
April 17th, 2012
8:59 am
As a school bus driver of 12 years I totally agree with the officers. I had a pre-k student on my bus kicking and screaming at others and when the principal and others came on the bus to get him, they had to drag him off the bus kicking and screaming. He hit his head on the bus rail and split it open. Of course the parents wanted to sue, that is until they saw the video and the lawyer told them they didn’t have a case. In that case handcuffs might have made their job easier. It took 2 grown men and 1 woman in addition to me to get him off the bus without further injury.
Shawn
April 17th, 2012
9:02 am
For the people who believe the child shouldn’t be handcuffed, this is probably how your kid acts. You are the parents who have a problem with other people discipling your kids. Your kids probably act this way and you sit them in “time-out” or you say what her mom said, “she’s having a bad day”.
Get the heck out of here. Kids these days need to be taught respect and boundaries. If the police or the principal would have tried to restrain the child, someone would have a problem with that. They did EXACTLY what they should have done. Parents need to take responsibility for the actions of their children instead of trying to blame other people. For every action, there is a reaction and the school and police reacted appropriately.
gadem
April 17th, 2012
9:04 am
“…If the officer cannot hold the child by the hand or hug the child…”
Wait?…what?!
are you serious? are you the child whisperer now? Please sit down somewhere…
JCJB
April 17th, 2012
9:07 am
I agree with the police, kids that are that enraged are strong as an ox and if they are capable of injuring another student or teacher, they are capable of injuring themselves
Solutions
April 17th, 2012
9:07 am
A mental health exam for both the parents and the child is called for in this case.
Jim
April 17th, 2012
9:07 am
They sentenced her to the place where she learned to act that way, and since it will inconvenience those who are raising her, I am sure that the atmosphere there will be ramped up several notches making it even worse for the child.
Handcuffing? Ridiculous! Paddling? This is the 21st century you sadists! Violence has apparently already been taught to the kid, probably at home, and you want to ratchet that up by justifying it with more.
How much sugar had this child consumed that day?
Think I don’t know what I’m talking about? In kindergarten my son was asking the teacher to do encyclopedia study, like the first graders, and had to complete extra work in order to be able to. That comes from the home life before kindergarten.
The parent(s) should be suspended.
Mike
April 17th, 2012
9:08 am
this behavior is typical of so many in our society today. I am going to guess…there is no father in this family, the child is the boss of the household, and pitches these fits quite regularly.
Hmmmmmmm
April 17th, 2012
9:12 am
Wow, The video really explains it all… Everybody making excuses… The kid not remorseful…. What a shame. I can just remember how my dad handled my mood swings….
BravesFan
April 17th, 2012
9:13 am
The parents seem so nonchalant about it…like their child didn’t do anything wrong. Maybe you should straighten up your home life and quit letting your child get away with stupid stuff and enforce some rules, then maybe she can act like a human being in a public environment.
Ed
April 17th, 2012
9:22 am
Good job officer. Maybe puddin’ can learn a little repect.
Dave300
April 17th, 2012
9:24 am
When I was growing up (not too long ago), I was involved in many “boys being boys” playground fights. Nowadays, the police would be called and lawsuits would be filed. What a ridiculous society we have created.
I believe the “police state” mentality started in the mid 80s, when the drinking age was raised from 18 to 21. I believe this act overly empowered law enforcement, while at the same time postponing responsibility – the number of immature 20-somethings has skyrocketed.
BT
April 17th, 2012
9:25 am
I am glad that the majority of responses are supporting the school. As a current elementary administrator, I understand why it was done. I have had to use school resource officers before to give students a dose of reality when chronic misbehaving occurs. Chronic discipline problems are the parents problems to solve and for the most part they are not doing it…dont want to be the bad guy!
This is part of the problem when everyone wants to reform the schools. If you have not been in a school setting lately, dont critize the actions of others until you have walked in their shoes.You want better schools, get our society under control first.
Here we go!
April 17th, 2012
9:26 am
I was grocery shopping with my 4 year old when I saw him eyeing the candy you could buy by the pound. I told him he could not have any, that we had to buy it. As I was putting veggies in a bag I noticed he reached into the dispenser and grabbed a hand full of candy and stuffed it into his mouth. Some of you think what I did next is horrible but please continue reading. I took him up to the managers desk, sat him down on top and explained to the manager how my son had stolen candy from the store. The manager (although he felt bad about it) told my son how horrible it was to steal and he better be glad I was going to take him home because he might have to call the police. My son was balling his eyes out, scared to death. For the rest of his life, I never worried about him stealing anything. I can say that one incident, although scary at the time for him, was enough to make him understand he can’t just take things he wants. 28 years later, he has done 3 gigs in Iraq, 2 in Afghanistan and works for intel for the government now (out of service). No scars, just lesson learned. If parents won’t parent, someone has to. If this kid is not afraid of the law at this age, he/she never will be afraid and the consequences will be horrible as the get older.
KC
April 17th, 2012
9:28 am
I have a 7 year old with Aspergers (within the Autism spectrum)…when she was that age and a little less mature, she would have violent meltdowns. I see this as the classic symptoms, not just based on my experience. Cornering the child will make the meltdown worse, which is more than likely why the meltdown escalated. You have to put them in safe area until it’s over. I would think at least a few teachers would know this.
feelinglucky
April 17th, 2012
9:29 am
If that was my kid, she would have to worry about what would happen when she got home too. Of course, because my kids knew the consequences of their actions, they wouldn’t have acted like this in the first place. It all starts at home.
Digger
April 17th, 2012
9:30 am
Taser.
nypeach
April 17th, 2012
9:30 am
why is it always the mother’s fault? where is the father? and who knows, maybe this kid has a serious mental illness that is causing this behavior. Maybe something is going on at home that is making her this angry and out of control. But please stop blaming moms for everything. Dad has a part to play, too.
TB
April 17th, 2012
9:33 am
For everyone saying that there are better ways to restrain a child – what are they? In this case, ANYTHING the faculty or the officer did would be scrutinized and everyone who disagrees with their actions would have a “better” way for the situation to have been handled. Children get away with so much in school. My daughter told me that she heard a kid tell the teacher, “So what? Call my mother, then!” Teachers can only do so much. Their jobs are to educate your children, not to babysit your bad kids.
Don't Tread
April 17th, 2012
9:34 am
Another set of handcuffs would have been appropriate – for the parent. This is what happens when people have children when they have no business having children, and all lawsuits are allowed to proceed to court.
Back in my school days, if any 6 year old acted like that in school, they’d get the paddle from the principal, and then the snot beat out of them when they got home. Oddly enough, we didn’t have many 6 year olds behaving like this. Coincidence? I think not.
Don't Tread
April 17th, 2012
9:36 am
“where’s the father?”
“Maybe something is going on at home that is making her this angry and out of control”
Anyone connect the dots yet?
TiTi
April 17th, 2012
9:37 am
WHY O WHY COULD THEY NOT REACH THE PARENT! I don’t care what job you have you should always be reachable if you have children unless YOU have been in an accident or near death at the time someone is trying to reach you regarding your child. Had the parent been reachable maybe the police situation could have been avoided. We are living in critical times, hard to deal with! (2 Tim 3:1-4)