First-Grader Suspended for Sexual Harassment

[Sequoia]

Feb. 7, 2006 — A first-grader was suspended from Downey Elementary School in Brockton, Mass., after school officials said he sexually harassed a female schoolmate. The young boy is accused of touching a fellow first-grader's skin underneath the rear waistband of her pants.

The child's mother, Berthena Dorinvil, said he was too young even to understand the accusation. "I said, 'My son doesn't know anything about sexual harassment. What are you talking about? He's 6 years old,'" Dorinvil said.

Dorinvil, 38, said she got a phone call from the school's principal, Diane Gosselin, last month, asking her to come pick her son up from school.

"I feel terrible," said Dorinvil. "He feels terrible. He keeps telling me 'Mommy, are the police going to arrest me?' He's very emotional."

<snip>
http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=1591633

[stepnw1f]

1. It's the Damned Feminists Fault

Yeah, yeah... that's the ticket!

[sasha031]

2. oh gee, this is sad

[Ilsa]

3. Must be one of those damned zero-tolerance policies.

Makes it easy for administrators to not have to think or use any judgement.

Poor kids. All of them. I wonder if the little girl had to undergo a SAME (sexual assault medical exam) to satisfy the school?

[ET Awful]

4. That's it, register that little hooligan as a sex offender!

We all know how he'll grow up.

:sarcasm:

WTF? A first grader isn't exactly liable to be intentionally fondling his classmate.

[davidinalameda]

31. to be a Republican?

:shrug:

[WildEyedLiberal]

5. How inane

Why couldn't the teacher have just penalized him like they do every other kid for picking on a classmate? Make him sit in the corner, stay inside for recess, whatever it is they do to punish first graders these days?

He's SIX. He has no idea WTF sex is, let alone sexual harassment. He was probably just trying to annoy her, so punish him like you punish any other kid for bothering classmates.

God, this shit is so over the top. This poor kid is going to be scarred for life - he'll remember once he's old enough to understand what they were accusing him of and feel dirty and perverted, despite the fact that he clearly had no idea.

This is why I hate schools.

[FreedomAngel82]

7. Do they know if he even did it and have proof?

Nothing would surprise me with kids now days with sex (even that young) so I'm wondering though if he did it or not. Like someone else they don't do any type of investigation and just go a head and claim they're guilty. :shrug:

[Sequoia]

35. Oh, please!

You're wondering????!!!

[proReality]

6. How soon before little kids will have to wear the badge of...

"Sex Offender" for the rest of their lives?

[BuyingThyme]

8. This IS sexual harassment.

By the principal.

Putting a six year-old in a sexual situation is sick. This evil bag, Diane Gosselin, should be stripped naked and forced to roll around in tanbark.

[FreedomAngel82]

11. Uh what?

The kid is accused of being the sex offender. They claim he put his hands down a female classmates pants. Not the other way around.

[BuyingThyme]

12. You've neither read my post nor the article.

[FreedomAngel82]

15. From the article in the post itself

school officials said he sexually harassed a female schoolmate. The young boy is accused of touching a fellow first-grader's skin underneath the rear waistband of her pants.

[BuyingThyme]

23. And this relates to your post how?

[FreedomAngel82]

26. Look in

your post you said the teacher is the one who is doing sexual harassment. The article claims it's the boy. NOT the teacher. And it's sexual harassment because of where he touched her.

[BuyingThyme]

29. Read my post again.

[YOY]

9. Isn't that the age when they tell you things are or anren't appropriate to

do and that is the end of that?

[mdmc]

10. lots of sexually abused children act this way...

I had a 10 year old child sexually abuse a girl (on my caseload, not my kid). He was sexually abused as a kid.

[seabeyond]

33. cant give this to the boy. not off that information. he touched

skin. her shirt could have come up, it could be he just touched her and got turned into skin. and just talking the elstic., not specifically going for pants. not even enough information ot go to sexual abuse. not even kinda

[mdmc]

34. not that much info

I hear you

[seabeyond]

13. in my kids school it is called hands to yourself rule. they even have

a little song, about the little hands staying off the other kids and keepin them to oneself. is a challenging thing for these little kids. they like to touch..... humnas, all humans, they dont care. like little animals, always touching, responding. the way little bodies work. they havent matured to learn to keep hands to self.

my youngest especially has that issue. man he just likes to hug,.... lots. bad boy. bad bad

[n2doc]

14. Yep, we can't have humans touching each other!

I mean, really, we have to teach them to be cold, unfeeling monsters at an early age so they can be ready for Bushco's future. Maybe the next step is to be proactive and put each child in a glass box with a computer monitor. :grr:

[FreedomAngel82]

17. It's WHERE not that he did

For all we know they could've been playing a tag like game or something.

[seabeyond]

18. you are funny. yup..... the joy my jonas gets when someone

actually allows him to hug. you can see it in the kid. i can. and i say, you need a hug, come here. that is all he needs to be ok again, and behave and play well. just some energy, a body

[WI_DEM]

19. well I wouldn't go that far

Obviously in this case it is an over-reaction, but don't you think the kid should be told not to put his hands down a girl's pants? or is being denied that being cold and unfeeling?

[seabeyond]

20. my boys prettymuch have always known that isnt appropriate

behavior. and they would be humliated even thinking about that. yes the boy needs discipline if he purposely stuck hands down girls pants. i got elastic from story. but i didnt read the whole story. i will go into the link.

but, doesnt need sexual anything labeled on him at 6

[WI_DEM]

21. that I agree with

about not needing any sexual label applied at 6.

[FreedomAngel82]

16. Right

I remember that from when I was a kid (believe it or not).

[seabeyond]

22. lol lol what the song. oh funny. i think you are a couple decades

younger than i. we didnt have it. my first kiss was kindergarten on the bus with joe. the bus driver saw it and told my mom. we were the last two on the bush. they giggled. they did not make a big to do out of it.

[rd_kent]

24. This is the result of the other end of the spectrum

We bash NeoCons and RW fundies everyday for their fanatical views, yet this story is the result of the radical left portion of our side. Just goes to show you, radicals are the major problem.

[seabeyond]

30. yes it is. i have girls beating up boys because they get to, and a

boy is not allowed to do anything about it. it has been consistant since boys have gotten into school. but it is there. all three schools. seems to be prevelent. i told one little girl when son was in third grade, my son is not allowed to hit a girl. quit pinching his ears. she says to me...... the powerrrrrrr

say what.

but youa re right. and that is what i say, us women need to see our part and what we are teaching our daughters that may not be healthy.

[slor]

25. Obviously this child saw Clinton's sexually charged...

speech at the CSK funeral, and took matters into his own hand. Damn You Clinton!

[sable302]

28. rofl

:rofl:

This conversation is very strange. I mean, we're talking about a couple of little kids in a first grade class.

Part of me wants people to really make a big deal about this so we can step back and look at what a lame-ass society we've become.

Just tell the kid not to do it again, and I betcha he won't.

[seabeyond]

32. it really is a big deal. i have been addressing this with my boys

in a different manner. but there are a good three or four issues here that should have us as a nation talking. i wouldnt want to send my boy back to that school and i would now be concerned sending my boy into the public school anywhere, knowing they called the cops. and i wouldnt be explainging sexual harrassment to my six year old son either, nad no one could make me. adn i talk about wide range with my boys, but this one,.... i am thinking personal damage to them

[seabeyond]

27. this is even more horrible than what i had thought

nooooo no no no no

now this is just wrong. look at this sentence

touching a fellow first-grader's skin underneath the rear waistband of her pants. he could have gotten hand hook in the band and touched skin. her shirt could have ridden up and he touched skin. this was not STICKING HANDS DOWN PANTS....

then they called the fuckin cops on this boy

i wouldnt want to go back either. i wouldnt want to send son back

check past posts.... i support school and teachers. but i am seeing a phenomon with women and we are doing a no no here. i see it when boys come home and talk to me about girls

this sounds all wrong. os very wrong. and shame on them. i hope they do go to a different school, and that boy learns to stay far away from girls. what are we doing to our kids

[opihimoimoi]

36. Was this repeatedly done to the girls? Did the teacher counsel?

Was this a first time event?

Somethings smells.

[EvolveOrConvolve]

37. This is ridiculous

Am I the only one who remembers being in first grade and going behind the school shed to play a little "doctor"? When I was a kid, it was the girls who instigated the kissing, touching, etc. It was a harmless thing, and kids are curious, kids explore, kids are kids. If this boy held the girl down and forced his hands into her pants, then it's another thing altogether. But the story doesn't say whether the contact was even intentional.