Students Sue NYPD, Allege Abuse By School Cops

Five middle school and high school students are suing the Police Department over allegations that cops and school safety officers wrongfully arrested them and used excessive force. The plaintiffs in the class-action case — who range in age from 13 to 15 years old — say that "inadequately trained and poorly supervised police personnel engage in aggressive behavior toward students when no criminal activity is taking place and when there is no threat to health and safety," and often "confront and arrest students over minor disciplinary infractions such as talking back, being late for class or having a cell phone in school."

Attorneys from the American and New York Civil Liberties Unions claim a 13-year-old who was waiting in front of school for her mother was wrongfully arrested after a confrontation with two strangers who threatened her last October. When the eighth-grader refused to follow an officer's orders to accompany the strangers into school, the officer allegedly pinned her on the ground and handcuffed her to a desk until her mother found her. After the incident, the teen required medical attention. In another instance, an 11-year-old was allegedly cuffed and "perp-walked" into a police precinct after being caught drawing on a desk in erasable ink. "It's a sad day when you need to resort to a lawsuit to keep an 11-year-old from being arrested for drawing on her desk, but in this case it is clear there is no alternative," said an attorney.

The lawsuit seeks to put school administrators — not school safety officers — in charge of disciplinary decisions. It also calls for mandatory training for school security officers "relating to arrests, searches, and the use of force," and the establishment of a mechanism for students and parents to file complaints against school safety officers. According to 1010WINS, the city's law department had not seen the lawsuit and could not offer an immediate comment. Last fall, a teen settled a case against a school safety officer who left him bloodied after kicking open a bathroom stall door.

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By Ben Muessig in News on January 20, 2010 1:34 PM

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adventureben

they kids form D.R.U.M have written a student saty officer transparency bill. city council keep pushing it back.

Julie

Majority of Memphis City Schools Board Plans to Create Police Force

Board Member Whalum said “I just can't wrap my mind around the fact," says Commissioner Whalum, "that we want to SPEND $15 MILLION to create a police force that has the POWER TO SHOOT OUR KIDS but a principal can't spank our kids. I am categorically, vehemently opposed to it."

Whalum's in the minority on this one. A majority of the school board voted Monday, January 11, 2010, to put the issue on their legislative agenda with state lawmakers. Right now, it's illegal for Tennessee school districts to form their own police force.

One of their main concerns, says Whalum, is that campus crime would not be reported accurately if Memphis Police were no longer involved in providing school security. Memphis Police Director Larry Godwin has been one of the loudest critics of Cash's plan.

It is a "dirty little secret" that children continue to be struck with boards for School "Discipline" purposes in 20 PREDOMINANTLY SOUTHERN states, while in stark contrast it is Illegal for school employees to do so in schools in 30 states! It is a dangerous practice that is not evidence based and puts the U.S. at odds with over 100 countries that have banned it.

School boards are asking for trouble to sanction a practice that is intended to inflict pain.

Our nation's most prominent and trusted National Children’s Health and Education Organizations have issued official position statements OPPOSING Physical/Corporal Punishment of Children in SCHOOLS including The American Medical Assn (AMA), American Academy of Pediatricians, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Bar Assn, American Humane Assn, American Psychiatric Assn, American Psychological Assn, American Public Health Assn, National Parent Teacher Assn (PTA), National Assn for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), National Mental Health Assn and Prevent Child Abuse America among others.

Controversy is raging as evidenced by media coverage of 3 MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR COLLEGE FOOTBALL COACHES FIRED since the end of the season for ABUSING College Student Athletes.

Teachers and coaches are not required to adhere to any standard "Code of Ethics".

Let us hope all the media attention regarding abuse of students by those paid to be entrusted with their care and education will result in pressure on U.S. Government Officials and local Politicians to stop ignoring Children's Fundamental Human Rights by ABOLISHING Physical/Corporal Punishment of Children in Schools Immediately, the cost is $0! Please contact your Governor/State Legislators/U.S. Congress Representatives to demand legislation to ABOLISH Phyical/Corporal Punishment of ALL Children/Students in ALL SCHOOLS and visit the Center for Effective Discipline website for Alternative Discipline strategies, maps of School Paddling States, Laws and statistics regarding number of children/students physically punished in SCHOOLS.