Six-year-old handcuffed, sent to mental facility after tantrums at Port St. Lucie school
February 11th, 2010 by TCPalm.comPORT ST. LUCIE — A 6-year-old Port St. Lucie girl being disruptive at school first was handcuffed to bring her under control, according to a St. Lucie County sheriffs report. A few days later, after another disruption, she was sent to a mental facility, the report said.
The girl’s mother, Kathy Franklin, however, disputes the report. She said her daughter didn’t need to be handcuffed or sent to the adult mental health facility.
“These people are going to the extreme,” Franklin said.
According to a St. Lucie County sheriffs report, the first-grader at Parkway Elementary was having a temper tantrum on Feb. 3, hitting school officials, screaming and kicking.
After an hour of trying to calm the girl, the deputy handcuffed the girl “for her safety and the safety of others,” according to the report.
“(The girl) was crying and saying that the handcuffs hurt. When I looked at her hands, she had one hand pulled almost all the way out, therefore, the handcuff was around her thumb and hand instead of her wrist, causing discomfort,” the report said.
The girl eventually calmed down, and returned to class.
On Tuesday, another incident occurred at the school, the report said. School Principal Ucola Baxter, who is eight months pregnant, told the deputy the girl kicked her in the stomach on Monday.
This time, the deputy took the girl to a mental facility.
Franklin said her daughter was released by the facility soon after. Her daughter doesn’t have a mental issue, she said. She called the action a retaliatory move because she filed a complaint last week against the school principal.
Now, her daughter doesn’t want to go back to school.
“She’s traumatized. She’s scared of the police,” Franklin said.
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February 11th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
She got kicked in the stomach because the little girl was having a bad temper tantrum…not because the little girl is psycho…
The police officer who cuffed the 6 yr old is a bully and probably beats his own kids.
Leave that poor girl alone and send that cop and principal to some parenting classes. If they don’t know how to handle a 6 yr old then they need different jobs! Shame Shame Shame!
February 11th, 2010 at 2:58 pm
The parents need to get that kid under control and home school them. Teachers and staff cant stop everything theyre doing, for an hour, in attempt to handle one kid. The parents probably let the kid do whatever she wants and home, and when the kid gets to school, in a structured environment, cant assimilate. This child’s unruly actions are undoubtedly due to the parents and home life.
February 11th, 2010 at 3:07 pm
To the guy that says parents let their kids do what ever they want, you evidentally don’t have kids, the SYSTEM allows kids to get away with whatever they want, because if the parent handcuffed her to calm her down or spanked her butt for misbehaving they (the parents) would have been locked up for chastisement. But as you see the police can handcuff and take your child to a mental hospital, The system needs to step down and let parents raise their children the right way, not Dr Spocks way. The children do as they please or threaten you with child abuse but the police don’t get these threats. Stop trying to blame parents for what children do all the time.
February 11th, 2010 at 3:12 pm
When parents do chastise their children for acting out, and go back to school with the smallest mark, teachers call the police and the parent goes straight to jail, but you see the little girl has a bruise from the handcuffs and nothing is done to the person who handcuffed her, so who is to blame???? Teachers have a tough job also, who can chastise your child and who can not??? You can teach your child very well and the child gets from behind the parents door and acts totally different, so who is to blame about that??? Parents are not at fault in all the situations. There are a lot of disrespectful children who were brought up totally right, who do you blame?
February 11th, 2010 at 3:15 pm
Poor kid. Parents and teachers we should stretch our patience and understanding for the kids.
February 11th, 2010 at 3:18 pm
OMG…
WE will treat kid as kids not juvenile!
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February 11th, 2010 at 3:18 pm
If the kid can’t behave in school then she should be expelled. Public school apparently isn’t the right place for her. If she doesn’t have an actual mental problem, then perhaps military school would be a better option; some place where spankings and other reasonable punishment is allowed for disruptive kids. School is a place where well behaved kids to go learn, not where problem kids go to learn discipline. We have to stop allowing a few problem kids to drag down the education of the other kids, that’s part of what’s wrong with this countries education system.
February 11th, 2010 at 3:19 pm
Good, when kids take things too far and people want to baby them..its only going to support the behavior. Its time to bring back the old catholic school days when the kid misbehaved the nun gave them the paddle.
February 11th, 2010 at 3:20 pm
I have friends who are teachers. The kids today are spoiled brats because the parents haven’t got a clue as to how to discipline them or bring them up in any semblance of a civilized manner. Most of these parents of such children are in denial and have created a nightmare for the teachers, who are woefully underpaid.
The fact is, most of these parents can’t even control themselves. So is it any wonder that they are raising uncoltrolled, spoiled little monsters! Mr. or “Ms.” Growsmart is probably one of these monster makers!
February 11th, 2010 at 3:26 pm
P.S. The teachers are woefully underpaid for having to routinely deal with such situations, and these situations have become all too common. The only solution is for the school system to discipline the kinds. The first time a kid needs this kind of corrective action, the parents should be brought in told (i.e., absolutely NO debate allowed) that after one more episode the kid would be thrown out of school for the remainder of the year and have to repeat the year. And if it happens again the following year, the kid would be thrown out of school for ever and have to get a job picking vegtables or shoveling out sewers for the rest of his or her life. THAT… would get the attention of these idiots and THAT… would put a stop to this absurity, which is being forced upon us by FOOLS such as Mr. (or “Ms.”) Growsmart.
February 11th, 2010 at 3:35 pm
Kudos to the cops here. My instinct would have been to slap the child but capital punishment in the classroom isn’t allowed unfortunately.
The reason why this child behaves like this is because the mother doesn’t control it at home. The mother should be slapped as well. In fact, I’m handing out free slaps today after work.
In fact, if i see your kid in the grocery store throwing a tantrum and you, the parent, are ignoring it, I’m going to slap the kid first and then slap the mother next. Then, I’m going to shake my head in pity at the man who married this apathetic excuse you call a mother.
Control your kids so I don’t have to do it!
Benjamin Jones
February 11th, 2010 at 3:52 pm
Nasty little brat.
February 11th, 2010 at 3:53 pm
Benjamin Jones, You’re an idiot. Touch any child that’s not your own and you’re gonna see how QUICK you get slapped!
Now, I don’t see anywhere in the article that any parent was called.
Yes, parents have to discipline their kids more but a 6 yr old getting handcuffed! COME ON!
February 11th, 2010 at 4:04 pm
This is just absurd, how in the world you are going to handcuff a 6 years old?, mom, sue the s**t out of them starting with the principal
February 11th, 2010 at 4:20 pm
This is the PARENTS FAULT,I have a 6 yr old boy and he does as told or there are consequences. Our great nation is quickly becoming a society of wining liberal pussies. The girl should not have been hancuffed or taken to the mental hospital, but should have been expelled from the school and punished by her parents not beaten but make it clear her behavior will not be tolerated. I do not spank my kid, but he knows when I say something I mean it. Hitting a pregnant principle is really messed up and the girl should be delt with harshly by her parents. But they are probabley too busy smoking crack or spending Obama $$$$.
February 11th, 2010 at 7:19 pm
1. Was the parent contacted before placement?
2. Has this child had a history of acting out?
3. Has the parent refused to seek help for their child?
4. How many times has the parent met with school officials prior to this incident?
The rest of the students in the classroom lost valuable instruction time due to one child whose parent has neglected to adequate care for her child.
February 11th, 2010 at 7:28 pm
Have witnessed a kindergarten child out of control attempting to toss items off of a principal’s desktop. Talking calmly to the child did not work.
There was great concern over the child injuring himself by breaking glass objects in the room.
It took two people to hold the child so he wouldn’t injure himself. The child was absolutely out of control, unreachable, sad to say.
Problems at home always come out in schools one way or the other.
Many times when parents fail to act it is recommended that police are called.
Hope the principal and her baby are alright.
Look to the parent/s of this child. Something is seriously wrong AT HOME, not at school.
The outrage is deflected to the school, but the problem resides with the parent.
February 11th, 2010 at 9:08 pm
I am truly amazed that we are surprise of this situation Parents are not allowed to spank their kids,I feel for the teacher and those who are blaming Teachers of reporting child marks thats part of their job. some times thats how information is given in reports of rapes and other things that has occur.But if I had any thing to do with that situations that child would be given an emergency vacation to an Island where she get her butt whip she would not be able to sit on a powder puff. and leave her there with just the basic no TV no electric lights an out house for toilet I guarantee she would never do that again.
February 11th, 2010 at 9:36 pm
Parents are afraid to spank their kids due to the school calling the authorities. Nothing else works with some children.We used to get paddled at Palm beach county school in the 60′s and 70′s.We had respect for adults back then too.
February 11th, 2010 at 11:13 pm
Just look at this picture, last year a Teacher lost her job because of a kid who was autistic and they voted him out of the Class. What is the difference between this unruly kid and the autistic kid they both where disruptive? There was know physical restraint done to the autistic kid and this kid was kicking and fighting with staff. Wonder if this parent is going to seek revenge for this child as well. Everyone needs to find away to help these kids. Can anyone tell me the reason for this typr of behavior. I hope the parent will seek and attorney in reference to sending this child to an adult Mental facilty. What, If one of those crazy adult would have attacked this child. Where is Dr. Phil Now?
February 12th, 2010 at 2:40 am
that brat needs to be hit. possibly alot. pain compliance is 100% effective. hippie mentality is not. To be fair, too much discipline is bad too, but not as bad as doing nothing
February 12th, 2010 at 10:42 pm
read the reports here:
http://web.tcpalm.com/2010/02/11/report_02.pdf
the article only tells half the story this kid needed help..moms doing nothing but at least the deputy took her to get looked at by a doctor to get started on what is causeing this girls outbursts. why isnt any of the news media talking about the child kicking the teacher, digging her nails into the teachers skin and then the deputys hand before she was handcuffed? all they say is she acted up and was handcuffed. i think some bad reporting is going on here and someone is friends with the parents..something is wrong here mom never addresses the childs behavior of hurting people and punching the pregnant woman but all she talks about is her child getting cuffed after hurting people.after seeing the parents it looks like the turd don’t fall far from the a$$
February 15th, 2010 at 2:45 pm
Come on folks. Please read up on this story. There’s plenty of info out there.
1) The school called the family for meetings about Haley’s behavior many times and the parents never showed up to any scheduled meeting.
2) These same parents were jailed last year for violating truancy laws. These are clearly neglectful parents and perhaps abuse is present, which may explain the girl’s violent behavior.
As a side note, I am an Autistic Support teacher (grades k-2) in Philadelphia. We have many students capable of tantrums. However, we have maximum class sizes of 8 students and usually at least 2 adults in the room. We work closely with therapists, families and district personnel in order to meet student needs. Our state law (and Florida too apparently) allows for involuntary commitment of anyone who is a danger to themselves or others. This little girl eloped from her classroom, a dangerous behavior and then violently attacked adults. Nowhere in the law does it state that the child must be over a certain age. It is the BEHAVIOR that is creating the need for commitment.
Lastly, as a parent and a teacher, I get deeply offended by the assumption that educators are resposible for handling all problems students may have. Our jobs are to educate, not provide extensive therapy. When a child is violent, the first people we should look to are the parents. Too often, we look at schools to solve problems instead of families. Schools should work together with families to address problems, but parents need to be partners. they should not duck difficult meetings because they don’t want to hear that their child has a problem. Little Haley Franklin’s parents have abdicated their responsibilities as parents.
April 18th, 2010 at 6:00 pm
I also work with 5 -7 year olds in an elementary school and have two daughters of my own who are 5 and 6. You can’t just assume you know what’s going on with this child, like automatically assuming “It’s the parents.” Behavior problems could come from anywhere-they may be from lack of parental discipline and stability, but it could also be biological-different kids are born with different temperaments. Not all children are programmed the same to handle their emotions. It could be biological-it has been shown that pregnancy difficulties has been associated with increased aggression in children. Also, to those who say well, I have a child who behaves just fine..”-Are they an only child or oldest by a few years? Usually these children tend to be better behaved because their main company is other adults and they are socialized to be more adult like. Children who grow up with more siblings learn more behaviors such as being aggressive.
Also-yes I think spanking is good for some kids-but not all kids. Different disipline strategies work for different kids. Some kids mind with spankings-some are not even phazed.
Obviously there needs to be some coming together between the parents and teacher of this little girl so that they can all work together on disiplining her effectively. Maybe there are problems at home or at school that the other one is not even aware of. Maybe she needs a behavioral plan, and intervention at school with a behavioral specialist or counselor or even both. But handcuffing a six-year old? There are proper restraining techniques for children throwing tantrums-there is a holding position and you take them away from other people.
May 7th, 2010 at 9:04 am
[...] ser acusado de abuso infantil ou coisa pior. (Eis por que uma professora chamou os policiais para algemarem uma criança de seis anos.) Expulsão? Suspensão? Que nada. Na escola moderna, o aluno é rei. Como ensinou [...]
December 19th, 2010 at 11:36 pm
[...] school, throwing objects, hitting administration personnelhave traumatized her daughter. She is afraid of law enforcement and school, she said“There is absolutely no reason for what they did,” Franklin said. But St. Lucie County sheriff’s reports disagree. They say Haley was being disruptive on Feb. 3. She walked out of class and kicked a wall and school officials. She screamed and wouldn’t calm down for more than an hour. The sheriff’s deputy handcuffed her in an attempt to get Haley under control, so she wouldn’t hurt herself or others, the report said. “Haley was crying and saying that the handcuffs hurt. When I looked at her hands, she had one hand. more… [...]
April 11th, 2011 at 12:26 pm
Saw a link to this blog post over at StumbleUpon. Thx for the share
July 7th, 2011 at 10:21 pm
They say shes a tantrum thrower,but shes not. she is at bayshore elementry.shes fine. Iam Haley’s sister maddy.i love haley so much.SHE DID NOT DESERVE THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!THAT PRINCIBLE DID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!you should see her now.Shes beautiful.I hope no other child has to go through this.She shouldent have. Thank you,maddy f.
November 7th, 2011 at 6:36 pm
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November 28th, 2011 at 9:39 pm
OK, I’ll say it.
Handcuffs? On a six-year-old? Seriously?
Also, how did spanking come into this?
And, Benjamin, it’s corporal punishment. Capital punishment is the death penalty and yeah, I’d think it’s not appropriate for a classroom.
December 13th, 2011 at 4:39 pm
jocuri…
[...]Six-year-old handcuffed, sent to mental facility after tantrums at Port St. Lucie school | Treasure Coast Talk[...]…
December 31st, 2011 at 10:59 am
[...] is then so out of control, that the police handcuff six year old girls for the safety of all. Six-year-old handcuffed, sent to mental facility after tantrums at Port St. Lucie school | Treasure … Would anyone expect this mother to discipline this child? Why? It's obvious that's never happened [...]