Is this child abuse? Teacher tells child to stuff paper towels in his mouth...?

Question

I just got off the phone with my cousin. She told me that on Friday, her 9-yr-old son came home and said that his teacher made him stuff paper towels in his mouth after blurting out answers during class. The boy is currently undergoing tesing for ADD/ADHD. I know that he's a handfull. I used to watch him during the summer. He can drive you crazy to the point of exhaustion! I just can't imagine what good would come out of instructing a young child to shove paper towels in his mouth! The boy has enough problems with his self esteem without being made a spectacle in front of his whole class. So, my question is... is this act of telling a 9-yr-old boy to shove something in his mouth to keep him quiet and teach him a lesson, child abuse? And, what actions should be taken to prevent it from happening again?

Answer 1

I don't know if it is abuse, but it is darn near close. As well as dangerous depending on the amount put in his mouth, as there is a risk of asphyxiation. Not to mention the humiliation and psychological damage, there are other ways to deal with an "unruly" child, and as a professional, she should know better. Plus, it is not good to teach children to put non-foodstuffs in their mouths. Yeah, I'd report the teacher to the principal in order to have this behavior corrected.

Answer 2

I would recommend that the parent do two things:

1. Call the teacher and complain. Teachers are supposed to be professionals trained to handle classroom situations. Everybody has a bad day every now and then. After all, you did say that the child was a handful.

2. Call the school principal and relate the facts. In addition to a telephone call, the parent should have a face-to-face meeting with the principal. You are building a record, and the principal can come down on the teacher. Children with documented problems such as ADD or learning disabilities are entitled to special consideration. If they do not receive it, it becomes a *civil rights issue*.

Children with attention deficit disorder typically have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) under Part B of the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The school must meet the needs of the education of the child with ADD/ADHD. The parent should review the IEP with school administrators and teachers. Special consideration, even as regards to disciplinary measures involving children with an IEP is required by the law.

Answer 3

i would first talk it over with the teacher to find out if it happened maybe even other students or students parents to be sure it really happened before any measures were taken. i would take it up with an administrator and they should dismiss the teacher or at the least enforce some form of discipline on them if not then you could take it up with the school board. however not everything a child says is true either soooo.... BEWARE, it would be horrible to cost someone a career over something that may not entirely be true. but if it is the truth then the teacher should be fired because that is very dangerous and by no means a positive experience for a kid.

Answer 4

First the child should be removed from the class. The other students will suffer in their education due to him. He needs special education help. 15 others or more should not have to put up with this disruption.

Yes the teacher overstepped his/her rights in discipline, the student should have been removed to the office and let the principal handle it. Child abuse? No, not at all unless the teacher forced the paper into the kids mouth or actually touched the kid.

Answer 5

Report this to the police and the school authorities. No-one farless a "teacher" should be allowed to do such a thing. The child could have choked.....what about the class? were they all laughing and did the boy get ridiculed after class. That so called teacher should be fired and charged immediately.

Answer 6

Without a doubt this is abuse, the teacher has over stepped their authority.
If he is disrupting the class then he needs to be asked to leave, maybe even do detention.
If he has add and be careful as they love do over diagnose this ailment.
He will naturally calm down as his hormones level off, better to control it with diet and lots of exercise than drugs that will leave his lethargic. Complain about this incident so that it will never happen again to him or anyone else.

Answer 7

This should be reported to the authorities immediately. A child could die from this. What if he had a cold? Allergies? Vomited? Any type of nasal congestion? Not to mention the mental humiliation. The physical problems with this could cause death.

By authorities I mean the police, the school superintendent, child abuse and the principal of the school. If they don't listen contact your Senator and Representative, both state and federal.

Answer 8

I dont know if its child abuse or not but very poor judgement on the teacher part he/she need to be diciplined for it. I would immediatly tell her to file a complaint through the local school board and have it investigated.

Answer 9

Denfinately out of line. Time for a friendly chat with the teacher.Is the teacher and principal aware of the medical condition???
I'd ask the dr to write a letter so you could show it to them. .

Answer 10

This is definitely abuse. The principal should be informed. This will only lower your son's self esteem and cause repressed anger, worsening his behavior. A teacher like this should be fired.