Posted on 11/03/2006 10:04:02 PM PST by MeneMeneTekelUpharsin
A Community High School student has set down a burden he says had weighed heavy on his heart since last year, when his father accused the school's vice principal of child abuse during the boy's paddling. "He said he was going to sue the school and I was, like, 'No, let's don't,' because I knew what the bruise was from, but he said, 'We'll get money out of this,'" said Samuel Lee "Leroy" Manus, 15, son of Freddy Manus, an inmate at Rutherford County Jail. Best known at school as Lee, the freshman had been sent to vice principal Keith Williams' office last fall because of an incident on a school bus. That resulted in corporal punishment the next day, Oct. 19, 2005, a Wednesday. Freddy Manus claimed he'd not been told of an injury suffered by his son until Sunday, Oct. 23.
Lee Manus has now told officials and publicly stated that bruises found by a doctor in Smyrna were a result of repeated bouncing against part of a four-wheeler, and not child abuse as diagnosed by Dr. Corbi D. Milligan of Smyrna. Freddy Manus released Dr. Milligan's diagnosis and it was reported by the Times-Gazette and WTVF (Channel 5) in Nashville. Subsequently, the Times-Gazette reported that results of a state investigation revealed no child abuse. No additional details could be released by the state. "He's done all he can to make it right," the wrongly-accused vice principal said while discussing Lee Manus' description of the chain of events. "It's been a very unfortunate situation.
"After a year, it looks like Lee was perhaps as much a victim as I was," Williams said, noting that the freshman's return to school this fall has revealed a marked change in his educational success. "He's having a good year," Williams said, crediting much of that to Tammie and Ricky Burton of Virgil Crowell Road. "The Burtons are really good people," Williams said. "It's a very positive home for Lee." Ricky Burton runs his own horseshoeing business. Tammie Burton is a real estate broker with Sutton Realty & Auction Co. Their home is near the mobile home where Lee Manus was living with his father and stepmother one year ago.
But there were times when Lee would just show up at the Burtons' and they'd let him stay for dinner. A friendship grew between the boy and the couple. But, last summer, there came a time when Lee stopped visiting, and Tammie became distraught. Then, one day in early August, Lee was dropped off at the Burtons' home. Ricky Burton recalls the scene as one with a car door slamming and the vehicle driving off, leaving a boy with a plastic trash bag containing all of his clothes except the ones he was wearing. "He's been a blessing to us and he's made it right with Mr. Williams and he wants to make it right with everybody else," Ricky Burton said during a two-hour interview in his home with his wife and the boy.
Tammie Burton has power of attorney for care of Lee Manus. She's shared a copy of the document signed by Freddy Manus and witnessed by an official at the Rutherford County Jail. The document gives Tammie Burton "the rights, duties and responsibilities that would otherwise be assigned to the parent...." Tammie dotes on Lee Manus and patiently explains the difference between a literal expression of what someone is saying as opposed to the symbolic meaning of a statement, such as what Lee heard from Williams the day the boy told the vice principal what really happened. "It didn't feel good to me that Mr. Keith had to pay all that money and that was on my heart," Lee said.
Asked what money Williams had to pay, the boy stopped, said he'd asked for and received forgiveness, but he couldn't explain what Williams had paid. Tammie interjected; "It was not money. The price he had to pay was for what it cost him and his reputation and it hurt him and his family in the community." She said Lee has tried to go to everybody who'd been told the falsehood about the alleged child abuse, "and he's tried to make it right." Lee talks about his classes; liking mathematics for some unknown reason other than perhaps his teacher "is real good to me"; wanting to excel in physical education so a coach will select him for a team next year; and writing "a bunch of stories" in English class. And there's a classmate who's been a beauty contest winner and Lee likes the girl, who's been sponsored by the Burtons in contests. They have her picture in the kitchen. Agriculture is his seventh period class and he's got goats at the Burtons' home. Lee's also leaning about cattle.
Why Lee decided he wanted to live with the Burtons may seem obvious. The alternative, he says, was to stay in the projects in Murfreesboro with his father's girlfriend. His stepmother has been living in Smyrna and Kentucky. Wednesday night's conversation with the Burtons and the boy followed Lee Manus' announcement early last week: "I want to put it in the paper that I was going down the wrong road." The boy took responsibility for maintaining a story he says his father manufactured. While he couldn't stop it for various reasons indicated during the long interview, the boy has said several times he wanted to relieve himself of the burden he felt on his heart. The Manus family consulted with The Norton Law Firm. Requests for comment Thursday and this morning resulted in no contact with the attorney who was assigned to consider the prospect of litigation against the school system. There's been no indication that a complaint was filed in court.
For reference, go here:
Remember writing this? You owe me and the principal an apology, if you're a big enough person. You were completely wrong and should be able to admit it. I tried to inform you, but you were unwilling...
You too had some foolish things to write some time ago. Go to the original story to see what you wrote. You owe an apology as well. You were completely wrong.
You were right on. Hmmmm....wonder why I posted what I did. I'm tired of being questioned by ignorant posters on FR. Check out the above link to the intial post of this story for reference.
Meant what I wrote. Wrote what I meant and now would like to see punitive action taken against Dr. Milligan for nearly ruining the reputation of a VERY reputable principal. Keith Williams was a friend of mine when I lived in that area and his character was/is beyond reproach and I knew it was when I posted the story.
Meant what I wrote. Wrote what I meant and now would like to see punitive action taken against Dr. Milligan for nearly ruining the reputation of a VERY reputable principal. Keith Williams was a friend of mine when I lived in that area and his character was/is beyond reproach and I knew it was when I posted the story. Post should go to WildTurkey. So, here, it's posted to you.
Maybe it's just me but you seem to be arguing with yourself.
LOL!
That's it, tear them a new one. Too many people on this board make statements that they can't back up, and are mysteriously silent when they are proven wrong.
Yup. That was the point. The argument is with the individuals who THINK they know what is going on, but don't have a clue. As long as it is documented, I'm okay with it. That is exactly why I posted it and everything I've said about illegal immigration is coming true, but funny, seems like a lot of folks who flamed me 6-7 years ago are suddenly silent (or dead).
Wrong move. You become part of the problem instead of solving the problem. Dr. Milligan needs to be removed from practice. Lots of liars like that cost folks a LOT of money in court. Wrong move.
Are you talking to me or did you mean your post for someone else?
To you and any of the rest who couldn't see the picture when it was presented at the beginning of this incident. Where are the others?
I was never involved in this discussion nor made a comment concerning it one way or another. How the hell am I suppose to know where anyone else is?
This is a ridiculous story, but a very real and complicated issue.
I moved from Kansas to New York when I was eleven. On one occasion in high school in New York the subject of corporal punishment was brought up. People were incredulous that it was legal in schools in most of the country, which isn't to say that some weren't hit at home. They didn't even believe it.
Personally I think that parents have the right to discipline as they wish so long as the child isn't injured, but I don't think that should extend to schools.
Explains why the country has been going to hell in a handbasket at least since you were eleven.
Respectfully disagree as long as it is done properly within given parameters.
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