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It's one of the scariest situations a parent could face. Imagine showing up at your child's school to find your kindergartener isn't there.
Jennifer Nguyen says she picks her kids up from Westlawn Elementary School every afternoon, but for some reason her youngest son's teacher decided to allow 5-year old Sebashten to walk home by himself.
"The teacher said Sebashten told her he wanted to walk home, and the teacher said no you're a car rider. He said but I want to walk home, so she let him walk home," said Nguyen.
The walk from the school to Nguyen's house is more than a mile, and to get there the kindergartener would have to cross the very busy Airport Boulevard.
"It's something of course we never want to happen," said Nancy Pierce, a spokesperson for the Mobile County Public School District. "Anything we can do to prevent that from happening we try to do," said Pierce.
Pierce says the school district has apologized the Sebashten's parents, and they are now reviewing their dismissal policy.
Apology aside, Nguyen says what she was told by the school district Thursday is disturbing.
"Dr. Carol said it was a common mistake and it happens in all schools around the United States," said Nguyen. "But, I don't believe it's a common mistake," she says.
After two hours of searching, Sebashten was found safe but scared. His mom says he was more than two miles from the school and no where close to home.
2007-09-19 09:34:59 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Grade-Schooler
That teacher needs to be seriously reprimanded, if not fired! How stupid to let a kindergarden age child walk home because he "wanted to", knowing he was a car rider. where in the hell was her head? A common mistake, that's scarey. I have never heard of that happening, other than a child wandering away from the school. Not deliberately allowed to walk home. Not at that age. Anyone with a brain, ought to be able to figure that out.
As for a Lawsuit. you only rob yourselves sueing a school district, because it's taxpayer (yours and mine) money that is going to be spent on lawyers, penalties, etc... that doesn't do anyone any good.
It's sad, that people will sue for any reason, just to get rich. That's why the legal system is so clogged up, is because of frivolous law suits. Fire the teacher, and make sure the school district corrects the problem, and let it go at that.
2007-09-19 09:50:18 · answer #1 · answered by CSmom 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just put yourself in this teacher's shoes. After school is released, it gets CRAZY!! Any past elementry student can attest to this. Have mercy for this teacher. There are hundreds of kids running around in all different directions. It is a posibility that your child slipped away. Parents often sue teachers without taking into consideration many different aspects. My suggestion would be to set up a meeting with the principal, your husband, yourself, and the teacher and discuss these things. Perhaps you can all put together a program that ensures this unfortunate event will never happen again. There are two routes you can take: 1) sue and take away this teacher's hard earned profession or, 2) take the high route and help the school teach children safety and develop a program ensuring a 5 year old, or any young child, won't walk this far alone again.
2007-09-19 14:07:06 · answer #2 · answered by kristy 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
We live in a town of 60,000 people, my sons kindergarden is made up of 23 children. One little girl asked to go to the bathroom and went missing, a stranger picked up this little girl and tried to take her home, having no idea where she lived they drove up and down the same gravel roads until the little girl spotted her house. The stranger got out and walked the little girl to her house, her mom happened to be home. The mom then called the school when she was told the little girl asked to go to the bathroom and after about 20 mins they realized the little girl hadnt returned. They searched the premisis and still didnt locate her. The school officials had no plans if something like this was to occure. The parents were not contacted, the police were not contacted. Nothing. This little girl lived 3 miles from her school. The school had the nerve to blame a 5 year old. Its crazy what our school systems have come to. You dont even feel safe sending your young child to school anymore. But its the law
Mom of 5 boys
2007-09-19 09:48:01 · answer #3 · answered by jess_n_flip 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋
This is every parent's nightmare. No matter how careful you try to be, something like this can happen to you. I went skiing once when my son was 5 and left him in ski school. When I came back at lunch time to meet him, they did not know were he was (and had not noticed he was gone). When we found him, he was riding up a chairlift (without frontal protective bars) by himsef.
If your child goes to a friend's house, always talk to the parents first. My son went to see some friends. We took his bike along and I left him there. Next thing you know, two of the boys in the family purposefully got him lost downtown. It just so happened that w woman who worked at his school saw him and called hte police, and I think she kept him there until they arrived. Of course I never let him go to that house again.
2007-09-19 09:47:41 · answer #4 · answered by Zelda Hunter 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Why the hell would someone let a child walk home, when they know they get picked up everyday... You should sue... That makes no sense whatsoever... She at least should've called home first to see if that was the case. And if you didn't pick up, then she should've called the cell phone... But otherwise, he's a kindegardener which is basically a kid that makes up stories &... lies! That makes no sense...
2007-09-19 10:52:37 · answer #5 · answered by Khamani says R.I.P. Sean Taylor 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The situation is NOT a common one in schools. No teacher in her right mind would just let a kid walk home by himself if that's not his regular mode of transportation.
2007-09-19 14:41:18 · answer #6 · answered by elizabeth_ashley44 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Count your Blessings that your childs lifless body wasn't found out in a field. Be thankful that God was watching over your child during the time that he was "allowed" to roam from the flock.
The consequences of the teacher should be dealt with as NOBODY IS SUPPOSED TO ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN.
Have a talk with that child and let them know THAT WAS UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR ON ITS PART IT IS PARTIALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT HAPPENED.
Love that child, discipline then love again and be thankful to God over and over and over again.
2007-09-19 11:20:48 · answer #7 · answered by Doesnt_know_it_all 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Thats horrible. Id be mortified if that happened to my little girl!
2007-09-19 09:39:25 · answer #8 · answered by lovelylady 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
OH..if you are from California consider yourself a millionaire. LAWSUIT.
2007-09-19 09:40:47 · answer #9 · answered by jusslovehim 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
O id b pissed!!
2007-09-19 09:48:19 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋