My daughter was injured at the school's playground last Friday (Dec. 1, 2006), leaving her a 1.5" long cut/scratch on HER FACE. However, NOT a single incident report was written and NOT a single teacher noticed until I went to pick her up and saw it. I reported it to the director of the school, and asked the staff about what happened but none of them knew anything about it.
The owner of the Goddard School (at Trickum, Marietta , GA ), Tom Barone, was very rude and unprofessional. He not only refusedto resolve the issue but also shut us down from any further participation at the school when I brought Grace to the school for her Ballet/Tap dance class on Dec. 7 (Thursday). He handed me an envelope and just wanted to expel us away. When I asked him for the reason of such action, he lied and said that it was written in the letter. I opened the envelope immediately in front of him and read the letter, but actually there was NOT any reason written.
2006-12-12 04:52:22 · 10 answers · asked by flower.arrangement 2 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Toddler & Preschooler
The letter just mentioned about the refund of the payment made for the Dec. tuition and a check attached with it instead! He couldn't say anything at that time!
I showed him about Grace scratch on her face and he just smiled and said, "Oh...just a small scratch." I questioned, "Just a small scratch? It's been almost a week and still on her face!" When I tried to let a parent know what's going on there when she came in, Tom said he would call the police if I didn't leave immediately.
I was very dissatisfied with his attitude and behavior. He is sure a poor representative of the Goddard School . I'll never recommend Goddard School to anyone because of him. I've made a complaint to the Department of Education (as well as the Better Business Bureau). The staff at the Dep. of Education said it was a violation of day care rules not to have an incident report written and no teacher noticed when a child was injured at the school.
2006-12-12 04:53:48 · update #1
To Jennifier F: Thanks for your advice. It's NOT a slander and it's the truth I've written down.
2006-12-12 06:25:41 · update #2
To Auntie S: (1) First of all, you worked at a day care center doesn't mean that you could assume what had happened to my daughter. I knew what had happened to my daughter about the cut/scratch, though might not be all, that it was not caused by herself. (2) As I mentioned and wrote, the cut/scratch was on HER FACE, not other parts of the body. How come there was nobody noticed it before I picked her up? (3) As you worked at a day care center, you should know it very well that IT IS A VIOLATION OF DAY CARE RULES if such incident happened (no written report and no teacher noticed) and you could not give excuse of it. Negligence is negligence. (4) If such things really happened and all my words written down were true, they would not be "slander/ libel". So there are serious mistakes in your concepts and words. (5) It is the owner, not me, who refused to resolve the issue amicably with me. Who should be blamed instead?
2006-12-12 07:26:32 · update #3
To Toots: This issue is not about whether her cut/scratch requires medical attention or not. It's about the negligence of staff as well as the negative attitude of the owner!
2006-12-12 14:06:25 · update #4
To "Two_Kee_Kees", "Jennanderton2006", "Wreagle", "Lovelittlelulu", "McNutty25" and "AmandaKayFiston": Thank you for your answers as well as your supports. I'll remember there are always empathetic people who would really listen, undertand and try to lend a help.
2006-12-14 06:22:47 · update #5
I worked in child care for a while, as well. Every child there was important. Every single bug bitE, scratch, bruise, etc. was written down and signed by all the teachers along with exactly what happened. I understand that things happen beyond your control (a child of ours tripped over his own feet, fell flat on his face and broke his nose, his parents got there within 10 minutes and every single thing was documented, just one of those "i saw it happening but i couldn't get there in time), but you should still be seeing what is going on in a day care if you work there. That is your job, to guard these children. I don't know if you have any legal actions since they paid you back and this cut did not require medical attention. You've already done the big things, which is report the school. I would also write the local paper and let them know of your experience and any other parent that will listen. For your child, it was just a scratch. For another child there, it could be worst.
(also, just in response to that other woman who said you were over-reacting...you are not. we had a mother who tried to sue us over a lost hair clip! A cut is far worst than a lost hairclip)
2006-12-13 11:54:16 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't know that there is any real legal action that you can take on this but, definately report it to the state board that governs daycare. I had to switch my little girl (then 18 months) to a different daycare when I changed jobs. I really loved where she went before and was sad to leave but the drive was just too long. When I dropped her off, I was leary of their processes and how unprofessional it seemed. Went to work, thought nothing of it again until I picked her up. She had a giant black and blue knot on her forehead and I was not called. There was also no incident report and the teacher that was there when it happened had said nothing to anyone else in the center. I just picked up my baby and went home. Once I got there and talked to my husband, he convinced me to call the new center and pull her out. I explained to them how disgusted I was and that I wanted a full refund of any monies paid. They were more then happy to give me the refund and went so far as to offer 2 free months tuition if I kept her there. I told them that there was no way that I would ever bring her back and that I was going to report them to the state governing board. When I made the report, I was informed that this wasn't the first time that they had recv'd a complaint about that particular center. Within a month, the center closed. Hmmmm, wonder why?
2006-12-12 23:12:04 · answer #2 · answered by McNulty25 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I work in the legal field. The affects of the incident are not long-lasting to your daughter and he refunded your tuition. All you can do is report the school's negligence to the department of education. Suing them won't do any good because they legally don't owe you anything. Just file the report and hope something gets done so it never happens again. Also, you should know, that the information you provided (owner's name, for example) could classify as slander under these circumstances because there has not been a hearing as to whether or not any of this actually happened. It is considered an "alleged" incident until this is done and you legally have no right to point fingers or give names to anyone other than Mr. Barone's higher-ups.
2006-12-12 13:59:34 · answer #3 · answered by Jennifer F 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
They have to be licensed by the state as well, contact the state child care licensing office and file a report with them. Document everything in writing, dates, times, who you spoke with at the school, what they said, everything. From reading your question I'm assuming you have, but I just wanted to remind you how important it is to have everything documented. The state will be required to visit the school, speak with the staff, and investigate the report. If it were me, I would not take this lying down. It sounds like the school was in the wrong and they are trying to get rid of the evidence. Make your voice heard, and be an advocate for you child as well as the other children at the school. Good luck and take care.
2006-12-12 13:00:57 · answer #4 · answered by WREAGLE 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
there is a huge difference between a scratch and a gash that requires stitches so maybe your just blowing this whole thing out of proportion, i was in the child care industry for a long time and people like you who think there kid is so much more important than any of the other kids that are there. i have dealt with people like you before hasn't your daughter ever gotten scratched or bitten by a bug at your own home and you just don't know what happened i really doubt it kids are little bundles of energy who can get hurt or injured even if your right there in the room so just calm down because one day (god forbid) something serious might happen to your child and you might not know how it happened because you were in the bathroom or cooking dinner so relax and maybe it was herself that gave herself a scratch maybe her nails weren't trim enough or she got a scratch from her jacket as she was taking it off and just because what you said is true doesn't make it okay to slander someone else and what you did was slanderous and if he wanted to be as uptight as you he could sue epically if someone were to print this so calm down kids are tough was she complaining as much as you were i doubt it.
2006-12-12 14:50:43 · answer #5 · answered by auntie s 4 · 2⤊ 3⤋
Good grief, lady--calm down! A 1.5 inch scratch is such a minor thing, even if it is on her face! You are totally overreacting. It didn't require medical attention. Let's hope she never breaks a bone--you'd want to sue the ground she fell on!
2006-12-12 19:04:04 · answer #6 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I would keep a copy of the check and the letter and photos of the scratch and then run my butt right down to a lawyer and sue the daylights out of that place. Me and my mouth That guy would have had to call the cops on me. The world need more parents willing to fight for their kids like this. I hope it all works out for you but GET A LAWYER!
2006-12-12 13:03:13 · answer #7 · answered by lovelittlelulu 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
When your daughter is on their property, it is their legal responsibility to pay for anything that happens to her if she's injured, especially since it's a school. You need a lawyer, and a good one. You can probably sue the pants off of them. Good luck, and I hope you can resolve this quickly!
2006-12-12 12:55:55 · answer #8 · answered by two_kee_kees 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
get a lawyer and sue the school. take the letter and check with you. and put her into a new school. daycares are required to do a report when a child is hurt its the law. my mom has worked in many centers in south carolina
2006-12-12 12:58:17 · answer #9 · answered by kleighs mommy 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Be glad it was just a scratch and move on to another school. Sounds like you overreacted and they chose to expel your daughter to get you out of their hair. That's business.
2006-12-12 13:01:16 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 4⤋