Bush Making Big Return To White House
Annette Insdorf: The Central Park Five Premieres in Cannes
Lamya Cammon, 7, was sitting quietly in her first grade class, absentmindedly twirling her braids. The little girl's teacher, whose name is being withheld, grew tired of seeing Cammon play with her dozen or so braids, so she called Lamya to the front of the classroom.
The first-graders watched in disbelief as their teacher took out a large pair of scissors and cut off one of Lamya's braids. Amid the snickers of her students, the Milwaukee teacher threw the braid in the garbage, sent the crying youngster back to her seat, then said, "Now what you gonna go home and tell your momma?"
Lamya claims that she was not twirling her hair loudly nor was she being disruptive. When the child told her mother, Helen Cunningham, found out what happened, she immediately went to the school to confront the teacher.
Cunningham tried to discuss the issue with the teacher, but she was merely told that the act was done out of frustration. The teacher's response was not good enough for Cunningham, who thinks the teacher should be fired. She also reported the incident to the school district and local police. "Why would we want someone like that teaching our kids? We trust that once we send our kids to school, that they'll be safe," says the angry mom.
The Milwaukee Public School District has apologized and placed Lamya in a different classroom. Although the teacher remains, the Milwaukee Public School District is going through a disciplinary process. Cunningham also reported the incident to Milwaukee police, who issued the teacher a $175 disorderly conduct summons.
Comments: (112)
Add a comment
By: Queen Kali on 1/15/2010 10:40AM
It is unbelievable that someone would actually want to hold a child responsible for anything in this. She is a CHILD!!!! Children at that age are disruptive at times, face it. Any person in a classroom environment can be annoyed and frustrated every single day, but if one has to sink to the levels of assaulting a small child, s/he should be fired immediately. If this teacher cannot control herself, she should seek employment elsewhere.
I taught students who were close to my own age at one time. I had lesbian students hit on me, I had a male student touch me from behind, I even had a student tell me to kiss his ass--but I realized it all came with the territory. I would like to think I handled each case appropriately without compromising my integrity, self-respect or employment status.
The manner in which this "teacher" handled this student is reprehensible. Once upon a time, this is the same way that white students racially harassed young black girls--think about that! I do not care what the mother's mental, emotion or financial state is or was, she has to fight on behalf of her daughter so that she knows what value she has in this world. This is a case that the whole community needs to follow and support; otherwise, this pathetic teacher will spread her venom on some other child!!!
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: pearle on 2/11/2010 10:39PM
If the hair was the child's own biological hair then that is very hurtful for the child and very frustrated for the parent. Had she taken the beads out of the child hair, it would have made more sense. The child would never forget that. I hope it does not make her lose her respect for that teacher and other teachers.
What if the child mother responded violently
out of frustration, just like the teacher. Then
everyone would have said how wrong the parent was, child welfare would have step in, to take her child from her and said that she is an unfit mother. ps: this is a continuation from the first part of my comment.
Reply to this Comment | Report This