Posted on 12/22/2006 5:12:37 AM PST by SES1066
HAGERSTOWN - A kindergarten student was accused earlier this month of sexually harassing a classmate at Lincolnshire Elementary School, an accusation that will remain on his record until he moves to middle school.
Washington County Public Schools spokeswoman Carol Mowen said the definition of sexual harassment used by the school system is, "unwelcome sexual advances, request for sexual favors and/or other inappropriate verbal, written or physical conduct of a sexual nature directed toward others."
Mowen said that definition comes from the Maryland State Department of Education.
According to a school document provided by the boy's father, the 5-year-old pinched a girl's buttocks on Dec. 8 in a hallway at the school south of Hagerstown.
Charles Vallance, the boy's father, said he was unable to explain to his son what he had done.
"He knows nothing about sex," Vallance said. "There's no way to explain what he's been written up for. He knows it as playing around. He doesn't know it as anything sexual at all."
The incident was described as "sexual harassment" on the school form.
School officials consider a student's age and the specific action when determining what administrative action to take, Mowen said.
Lincolnshire Principal Darlene Teach and Mowen said they were unable to discuss he incident involving the Lincolnshire student.
Teach said any student, regardless of grade level, can be cited for sexual harassment.
"Anytime a student touches another student inappropriately, it could be sexual harassment," Teach said.
School administrators at a Texas school in November suspended a 4-year-old student for inappropriately touching a teacher's aide after the prekindergarten student hugged the woman.
"It's important to understand a child may not realize that what he or she is doing may be considered sexual harassment, but if it fits under the definition, then it is, under the state's guidelines," Mowen said. "If someone has been told this person does not want this type of touching, it doesn't matter if it's at work or at school, that's sexual harassment."
The incident will be included in the boy's file while he remains at Lincolnshire, but Mowen said those files do not follow students when they move on to middle school.
She described the incident as a "learning opportunity."
During the 2005-06 school year, 28 kindergarten students in Maryland were suspended for sex offenses, including sexual assault, sexual harassment and sexual activity, according to state data. Fifteen of those suspensions were for sexual harassment.
During the 2005-06 school year, one Washington County prekindergarten student was suspended from school, and 12 of the county's kindergartners were suspended for various offenses, according to state data.
I don't know if I should talk to my daughter about this or not. She works in a day care center (mainly pre-school) and the kids adore her. She is constantly picking them up and being hugged as well as giving hugs.
What ever happened to use of common sense?
So if he were only 2 or 3 (instead of the ripe old age of 5) they may have let it slide?
What would the school adminstrators do if they found little Johnny and Suzy playing "doctor"? Have them arrested?
You know, in doing this she has decided to label the child as a sexual predator. His father should sue the Teach personally for defamation of character. I know, we already sue at the drop of a hat, but unfortunately there's little else to resolve the situation. It's the only thing that get's their attention and helps them put things in perspective.
ARTIST: Graham Nash
TITLE: Teach Your Children
You who are on the road
Must have a code that you can live by
And so become yourself
Because the past is just a good-bye
Teach your children well
Their father's hell did slowly go by
And feed them on your dreams
The one they pick's the one you'll know by
Don't you ever ask them why
If they told you, you would cry
So just look at them and sigh
And know they love you
And you of tender years Can you hear and do you care and
Can't know the fears Can you see we
That your elders grew by Must be free to
And so please help Teach the children
Them with your youth To believe and
They seek the truth Make a world that
Before they can die We can live in
Teach your parents well
Their children's hell will slowly go by
And feed them on your dreams
The one they pick's the one you'll know by
Don't you ever ask them why
If they told you, you would cry
So just look at them and sigh
And know they love you
Not if it was "Abortion Clinic" they were playing.......
No wonder at the rise in home schooling. This defies not only common sense, but logic as well.
In the old days, if a boy did that to me, I'd turn around and slap him upside the head.
Not only does this send a negative, confused message to little boys, but sends an equally negative message to little girls - that you can't defend or assert yourself. Instead you have to depend on the nanny state to protect you.
"Sheesh - what happened to innocent childhood? Wouldn't it be enough for the observing or reported to adult to say "Johnny, good boys don't do that"."
Don't you know that men are evil from birth. This criminal has been given 5 whole years to learn and its time to bring him in line.
wish I was being sarcastic.
"What would the school adminstrators do if they found little Johnny and Suzy playing "doctor"? Have them arrested?"
No, they would have Johnny arrested. Everyone knows that Suzy is the victim.
Un-flipping-believable.
Important for who to understand?? The 5-yr-old child??
Us, when we can't believe our flipping eyes when we read this crap??
Apparently, it's not so common.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhh,liberals and socialists, they never seem to run out of ways of demonstrating how REALLY stupid they are !!!
More examples of teachers trying to teah kids, when the teachers havent got sense enough to come in out of the rain.
I went to catholic school in the first grade back in the 50's.
Any nun would have solved the problem with a yardstick applied to the open hand.
(sigh) I'm afraid you're right.
A local man in his 40's used to ride shotgun on the "little bus" here. He was on disability and did it voluntarily just for something to do. One little girl on his route liked him a lot and would always hug him. The child did this one day in sight of someone at the school and he was told that he had to stop the girl of this practice. Instead, he walked. He just didn't want to deal with people who thought that way. The risks were too great.
" ....but sends an equally negative message to little girls - that you can't defend or assert yourself. Instead you have to depend on the nanny state to protect you."
9 posted on 12/22/2006 5:27:21 AM PST by randita
That is exactly the message the State wants to send.
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