New York state police were called to a Philadelphia, New York, elementary school last week to assist with the unruly child.
When the police officers arrived they quickly placed the child in cuffs and escorted him to a police patrol vehicle. There, he was further restrained with leg shackles and transported to a medical center for evaluation.
When the child’s mother, Chelsea Ruiz, found out she was understandably upset. The mother claims that the police officers said they restrained the child for their own safety.
Ms. Ruiz was quoted in the local Watertown Daily asking “how could someone fear for their safety when it comes to a small, five-year-old child?”
Jake Keller, a spokesperson for the New York state police, argued that the restraints were justified because the child was out of control. According to Mr. Keller, the child possed a threat to himself, and other children.
Arrests of school children making headlines
While calling a police officer to handle disruptive children may have once been considered an extreme measure of last resort, numerous stories have made their way into the national spotlight over the past few years.
Last December, a four-year-old child in Virginia was handcuffed and escorted to a police car. The child was restrained after causing disruptions in class, and failing to comply to efforts by the school’s teachers, principle, and director of special needs to bring him under control.
Other cases have resulted in even more serious consequences than being shackled and removed from class.
Kayleb Moon-Robinson, an autistic child from Virginia, ended up being charged with a misdemeanor, and later felony, after two separate in-school run ins with the police.
In the first incident, Kayleb became upset and kicked a trash can after being scolded by a teacher. An officer witnessed the act and charged the child with a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge.
A few weeks later Kayleb became upset again and the same officer intervened. This time, Kayleb tried to push the officer away and a struggle ensued. The officer placed the child in handcuffs and charged him with felony assault on a police officer.
The recent arrests have many parents and educators questioning the balance between the need to ensure a safe and conductive learning environment, and the growing trend of calling police officers to resolve in-school matters.
