General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThis is what I wrote on FB about that assault of a student. An officer was explaining it.
NO! JUST! NO!
That teenager was being disrespectful and uncooperative. However, NOTHING she did should have been met with that type of force. NOTHING! Imagine that was your daughter. And don't cop out by telling me that your kid wouldn't do that. Every kid can have a moment especially when they are teenagers. I have seen even the best kids act way out of character at times.
You do not escalate a situation like this unless you want an ending like this. She was not going to cooperate and slamming her head into a wall is not going to help her, the teacher or the other students. And with all due respect to Lance Adam's, this man is an SRO not a SWAT team member. If he is working in a school then he needs a lot of techniques to deal with students. Brute force should be the LAST measure and only used in extreme situations when somebody is a danger. Not obeying an order does not constitute a danger.
As far as assaulting an officer, that was a direct result of his forceful intervention. I could tell you that was coming the minute he approached her. He knew it too. Does she deserve to be punished? Yes. Does she deserve to be treated this way? No. AND that isn't coddling students. That means you don't assault them.
Those who have the 'power' in any situation have an obligation to use it wisely. If this was a wise use of force, then what will happen in a real and dangerous situation? As far as the assertion that you have to teach others to respect the police and obey them, this did not do that. It taught fear.
Real respect is earned and much more powerful than fear. Fear creates resentment and anger. This is in some respects a 'hostage' situation. The class and teacher are held hostage. What do you do in those situations when that happens? You de-escalate and talk. What you have taught that student and the others in that class was to use force to handle even non-life threatening situations.
I taught. I taught 9th graders and I did not put up with crap. I also did not threaten my students with physical force or have it used. A lot of people need to think long and hard about what they are advocating. Imagine this was your kid??
Art_from_Ark
(27,247 posts)I can't understand how anyone would condone this kind of excessive force.
LuvNewcastle
(16,864 posts)a calf at a rodeo. I think a lot of cops see the rest of us as animals. If we disobey, we get thrown in a cage. They shock people with stun guns, often for no apparent reason. We need to stand up for human rights and dignity in this country.
.
CarlaJonesChicago
(23 posts)Being a black person I hear alot of cries saying racism. Sometimes its unnecessary and sometimes its real. This time I know its very REAL. She shouldve left out on her own. She shouldve. But she didn't. How many of us bucked authority figures in our youth? I know I did. So I can't hold that against her. But I never got assaulted like that by anybody! She began hitting him after he put her in a chokehold. Then he slung her around like she was not human. He should be fired. Her parents should sue. Police have to understand what if their kid was treated like that. They would be pissed. It was excessive period!
TexasProgresive
(12,164 posts)bulloney
(4,113 posts)oberliner
(58,724 posts)School resource officers (SROs) are sworn law enforcement officers who are responsible for providing security and crime prevention services in the American school environment.
SROs are typically employed by a local police or sheriff's agency and work closely with administrators in an effort to create a safer environment for both students and staff. The responsibilities of SROs are similar to regular police officers in that they have the ability to make arrests, respond to calls for service, and document incidents that occur within their jurisdiction. School resource officers typically have additional duties to include mentoring and conducting presentations on youth-related issues. School resource officers play an integral role in the public school system and have had many positive impacts on the students that they are involved with.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_resource_officer
Shankapotomus
(4,840 posts)at the very least, he would have had the room emptied before he got into a wrestling match with an uncooperative student.
Of course, there shouldn't have even been a physical altercation in the first place but some people can't wrap their brains around that one.
ladyVet
(1,587 posts)I raised three boys. The teen years were rough at times (especially with my youngest). But nothing they ever did would have justified them being treated like that girl was.
Sure, she should have given up the phone. She should have left the room when told to. But she didn't. Why, I can't say. I'm not her. There should have been a way to have a calm, safe resolution to the incident. Putting her in a choke hold and slamming her on the floor was not right. She wasn't armed. She wasn't in a fight. She hadn't hurt anyone else. There was no threat of bodily harm to anyone, until that cop stepped in.
He should be fired. The school system should be sued. He should be sued, as should the police department. And she should be given detention for disobeying the teacher and others because of the phone (schools here don't allow use of phones in the classroom or during other school activities).
malaise
(269,254 posts)A parent could lose their child for that sort of abuse - it is madness.
Nothing justifies that response. Police should never ever be in classrooms.
ScreamingMeemie
(68,918 posts)You are absolutely right, yet people continue to rubber stamp police officers getting more and more aggressive in this country.
malaise
(269,254 posts)America has gone stark raving mad - all in the name of fear and control. The Rude Pundit nailed this one.
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)lostnfound
(16,195 posts)...makes this crime all the worse. Instead of compassion and understanding, she gets abused by the cop. And her classmate who captured it on video was also arrested.
Omg.