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Daughter came home with bruises

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What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Vermont

My daughter came home from school yesterday and had 3 finger marks on her arm. I asked her what happened and she said that a teacher grabbed her by the arm and pulled her fooling around.

She was with one of her friends and she cried she said. The friend went to tell another teacher. The other teacher sent my daughter to the principle and the assistant principle took pictures of my daughters arm.

No one from the school called me except for the teacher who grabbed my daughter. She called my house 19 times last night from her house phone and cell phone. The last call last night was at 9:22pm. And she has already called once this morning at 7:00am.

My question is what is my course of action with this. I have told my job that I am going to be in late because I need to take care of something at my daughters school. I plan on going when they open this morning.

Any and all advice would be appreciated.

Thank you.
 


Humusluvr

Senior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Vermont

My daughter came home from school yesterday and had 3 finger marks on her arm. I asked her what happened and she said that a teacher grabbed her by the arm and pulled her fooling around.

She was with one of her friends and she cried she said. The friend went to tell another teacher. The other teacher sent my daughter to the principle and the assistant principle took pictures of my daughters arm.

No one from the school called me except for the teacher who grabbed my daughter. She called my house 19 times last night from her house phone and cell phone. The last call last night was at 9:22pm. And she has already called once this morning at 7:00am.

My question is what is my course of action with this. I have told my job that I am going to be in late because I need to take care of something at my daughters school. I plan on going when they open this morning.

Any and all advice would be appreciated.

Thank you.
Call the police, make a police report.

Take your own set of photos.

Don't answer the phone.

Have daughter write down in detail, her side of the story.

Call the school and ask to immediately meet with the principal. Ask that the teacher be dismissed. There is no excuse for grabbing your child. Tell the school that you will be filing a restraining order.
 

You Are Guilty

Senior Member
There is no excuse for grabbing your child.
Overbroad, at least with the (lack of) information we have so far, no?

Child is playing on the roof of the school and teetering on the edge. Teacher has no excuse for grabbing child? Child is hiding in coat closet playing with matches, about to light one on fire. Teacher isn't allowed to grab arm? Child is about to read scathing replies to an overstepping stepmom in Family Law forum on Free Advice. Teacher cannot pull child away? ;)

In the end, you may very well be right, but we don't know if there were any extenuating circumstances here. And if there are, but mom flies off the handle from the get-go, that will not make things go any easier.
 

Humusluvr

Senior Member
Overbroad, at least with the (lack of) information we have so far, no?

Child is playing on the roof of the school and teetering on the edge. Teacher has no excuse for grabbing child? Child is hiding in coat closet playing with matches, about to light one on fire. Teacher isn't allowed to grab arm? Child is about to read scathing replies to an overstepping stepmom in Family Law forum on Free Advice. Teacher cannot pull child away? ;)

In the end, you may very well be right, but we don't know if there were any extenuating circumstances here. And if there are, but mom flies off the handle from the get-go, that will not make things go any easier.
"My daughter came home from school yesterday and had 3 finger marks on her arm. I asked her what happened and she said that a teacher grabbed her by the arm and pulled her fooling around." Doesn't sound like she was falling off the roof. You're right that it's vague, but I don't see how bruises are EVER appropriate.
 

You Are Guilty

Senior Member
Define "fooling around". Now define "fooling around" to a 5 year old (or however old OP's daughter is).


I merely think we need more information before conclusively stating that this teacher needs to be fired.
 
Daughter was fooling around with her friends in the hall on their way to the next class. Teacher grabs my daughter, according to the voice mail left by teacher "fooling around like we always do, I just guess we can't do that at school anymore"

She has called again now making it 21 times.

What bothers me most is that there was no call from the school, nothing. I would expect something along the lines of "there was an incident at the school today, we are investigated the incident and will keep you informed about the outcome" ......something. But the principle and vice principle spoke to my daughter, took pictures and I guess decided that I didn't need to know. Or maybe that I should just hear it from my daughter.

They have every avenue of reaching me. And my husband and three people listed as contacts. Yet no one was informed.
 

Humusluvr

Senior Member
Daughter was fooling around with her friends in the hall on their way to the next class. Teacher grabs my daughter, according to the voice mail left by teacher "fooling around like we always do, I just guess we can't do that at school anymore"

She has called again now making it 21 times.

What bothers me most is that there was no call from the school, nothing. I would expect something along the lines of "there was an incident at the school today, we are investigated the incident and will keep you informed about the outcome" ......something. But the principle and vice principle spoke to my daughter, took pictures and I guess decided that I didn't need to know. Or maybe that I should just hear it from my daughter.

They have every avenue of reaching me. And my husband and three people listed as contacts. Yet no one was informed.
Keep the voicemail.

Call the school. Ask that they open an investigation, and that you want the teacher to be temporarily removed from the school until the investigation is complete.

How old is child?

If this warrants it, call the police, file charges.
 
I will not be flying off the handle. I plan to handle this appropriately. And it would have been nice had the teacher left an apology on the voicemail instead of just making excuses for her behavior.

My daughter is 12.
 

Humusluvr

Senior Member
and tell the principal to have teacher STOP CALLING YOU, or you will report teacher to police for harassment. If you don't nip this fast, she'll show up at your house.
 

Humusluvr

Senior Member
I will not be flying off the handle. I plan to handle this appropriately. And it would have been nice had the teacher left an apology on the voicemail instead of just making excuses for her behavior.

My daughter is 12.
You don't sound like you are going to fly of the handle. If you did, you would be threatening to beat up teacher, and you haven't done that.

If this is really a case of the child's safety, you have to demand that the principal suspend teacher until the police investigate.
 
I went to the school, but no one was available to talk to me. I went to the police station and the sgt. Said that he wants me to "think it over before I do anything" he said that it would have had to be intentional? I consider her grabbing my daughters arm hard enough to leave finger mark brusing intention.

He gave me the supervisory unions phone number. And said to start there. I called and he is not in, the assistant is not in.

Since I went there have been 5 more phone calls when I got home.

I feel like I am getting the run-around.
 

CSO286

Senior Member
I went to the school, but no one was available to talk to me. I went to the police station and the sgt. Said that he wants me to "think it over before I do anything" he said that it would have had to be intentional? I consider her grabbing my daughters arm hard enough to leave finger mark brusing intention.

He gave me the supervisory unions phone number. And said to start there. I called and he is not in, the assistant is not in.

Since I went there have been 5 more phone calls when I got home.

I feel like I am getting the run-around.
I'd file the police report. Insist upon it.
 

LdiJ

Senior Member
I went to the school, but no one was available to talk to me. I went to the police station and the sgt. Said that he wants me to "think it over before I do anything" he said that it would have had to be intentional? I consider her grabbing my daughters arm hard enough to leave finger mark brusing intention.

He gave me the supervisory unions phone number. And said to start there. I called and he is not in, the assistant is not in.

Since I went there have been 5 more phone calls when I got home.

I feel like I am getting the run-around.


Call the office of the superintendent of schools if no one at the school is willing to take the time to talk to you.
 

Humusluvr

Senior Member
I went to the school, but no one was available to talk to me. I went to the police station and the sgt. Said that he wants me to "think it over before I do anything" he said that it would have had to be intentional? I consider her grabbing my daughters arm hard enough to leave finger mark brusing intention.

He gave me the supervisory unions phone number. And said to start there. I called and he is not in, the assistant is not in.

Since I went there have been 5 more phone calls when I got home.

I feel like I am getting the run-around.
You ARE being given the run around. Most likely, the principal and teacher are meeting to come up with "their story." Go back to the school, or head to the superintendents office, and demand that someone talk with you.

Then call the police, and have them meet you at the school or central office, and demand they make a report right there.
 

You Are Guilty

Senior Member
With the added information, I have to concur with Humusluvr. I have prosecuted parents for child neglect for leaving bruises like that on their kids - it certainly is not acceptable for a teacher to do so (under the conditions described here, at least).

Keep pressing the police. Go to the DA if you have to. Good luck.
 

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