Posted on 10/21/2010 8:09:47 PM PDT by Sybeck1
Today my 12 year old daughter was in class when a student came in and asked her if she would come into the hall to talk to the police. When she went into the hallway a police officer explained that she needed to go to the principal's office with him and she then asked if she was in trouble. He gave her no reply. He asked her if she wanted to walk by herself so she wouldn't be seen with him and she said, "No, I don't care." When she finally arrived at the principal's office across campus there were four other officers present along with the assistant principal. The assistant principal had a letter written which was threatening to kill a fifth grader who was at another school across town. It said, "I'm going to kill you." Signed "My daughter, 7th Grader." The 5th grader claimed that my daughter was threatening her with notes on the bus.
My daughter does not ride a bus. My wife is a teacher and we live in another city. She rides to school with my wife. My daughter knows the little girl's older sister from church, and to my knowledge the older sister of the accuser is my daughter's friend. She spent the night at our house once.
These police officers proceeded to question her several several minutes. The school never contacted us. The police officer told my daughter to be sure and tell her mother about it.
Then my daughter had to RUN back across campus, all the time crying and knowing that people saw her with a police officer, THE ONE THEY ALL KNOW RUNS THE BULLYING PROGRAM AT THE SCHOOL.
My son is in 8th grade and heard that his sister "was in trouble with the police." My daughter's reputation has been ruined by someone who simply does not like her. This person chose to try to get her in trouble for that reason and that reason only. Isn't that bullying in itself? Can my daughter be questioned without a parent present?
I don’t know anything about how to handle this situation, but don’t let it go.
I would talk to the principle and find out why your daughter was questioned with you present especially since if the principle had done his/her job, it would have been clear that your daughter could not have been involved.
I would also follow up with the police and file a complaint that your daughter was questioned without your consent or knowledge.
And I would contact a lawyer, and make sure that the school district know you have contacted a lawyer. They appear to have really screwed up in this case.
Would have been disappointed if it was otherwise.
There are so many experts on FR that I have sometimes come to this forum to get a starting-point.
Oh, dear Laz, have things EVER changed!
The police would be obligated to investigate if reported to them. It would be the school administrator who called the police you would want to hold responsible- as you mentioned, they could have easily checked if she rode the bus. I wouldn't blame the police.
Just a way to vent I guess. There are some goods minds on this board. Knowledge is power.
Tell your daughter to remain silent. Do same.
Let them file a charge, otherwise only say “have a nice day” to any cop or psychologist or other helpful individual that surely shall present.
Anything you or the child gives will be used against you. The smaller the department and the dumber the cops, the larger will be your legal expense. Give not spit up front, make them come foreword first with specific charge and evidence.
Also, it doesn't sound like the letter itself indicates to whom the threat is being made.
Well, Well, Well.
I finally learn how the wonders of Laz developed.
LOL
Hit it!
I have no clue what to do, but this is what I would do...
1) I would be FURIOUS that my child was questioned without some type of advocate there with her (preferably a parent). It just seems veeerrry intimidating. Not sure what the law requires for this, but I would find out. If there was no protection for children to have an advocate present when being questioned by the police, I would work to make it law.
2) I would contact an attorney.
3) I would contact the school authorities.
Personally, if it were me, I would see about talking to an attorney.
?????????
There is also the possibility that a third child, not the one who received the note, wrote it and signed the name of the innocent girl.
This is pisspoor police work.
Before even thinking about questioning your daughter, just because her name was “signed” to the note, the police should have checked out some basic facts in the story first. Such as whether or not your daughter even rides the bus, nevermind the same bus, as the alleged victim. Further, they could have asked a teacher possibly to provide them with a sample of your daughter’s handwriting to compare to the note.
There were probably several other things they could have checked out before deciding to confront your daughter, especially before having a uniformed, known police officer confront her at school. Could this really not wait until the end of the school day?
“Ah”, I said astutely. lol
You have a fun way of writing. But you sure are pissed off a lot. lol.
The technique of stopping in the middle of one action-packed scenario, to remember another situation.... reminds me of my attempt to read “Dreams of My Father”. Bill Ayers could have taken writing lessons from you, but I don’t think he would catch the subtle humor in your “True Story” (which is probably about as true as “Dreams”. lol) When he tries the tactic it’s just boring. lol
Sorry, that wasn’t supposed to be a private reply. I hit the wrong button... either way the cops should have checked to see if the girl was on the bus first. The scenario with the note in the desk leaves it a lot more open.
I went to bat once for my DIL’s nephew. He had supposedly “hit” a teacher, when, in reality, he turned and his backpack accidently hit the teacher. There were plenty of eye witnesses that saw what happened, this “hispanic” teacher with a chip on his shoulder pulled crap like this all the time.
They took him to the office and told him that if he didn’t admit to hitting the teacher they were going to arrest him. He wouldn’t admit to it and they arrested him. Then they kicked him out of school.
I was furious and I went and schooled the principal on the 5th amendment and a few other things, he told me that he couldn’t talk to me because I wasn’t the child’s parent or guardian and I said that I could become his guardian ASAP and he would be dealing with me. I also told him that I would be contacting the newspaper. I scared him bad enough that he backed off but the poor kid had already been abused.
This country allowed an Army psychiatrist handing out personal business cards saying “soldier of islam” for years to walk about Fort Hood.
this is just sick
it would never have happened in a nice catholic school.
only government employees can be this bureaucratized and callous.
a parent is negligent if they do not repeat over and over, never under any circumstances speak to a police office about anything.
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