Journalism Research and Random Meanderings

Sunday, December 12, 2004

Protecting children or covering their butts? (2) 

If you're walking down the street in most democracies you have protection against unwarranted search and seizure. Apparently it doesn't extend to the classroom. Somebody swiped something from the teacher who decided to search everyone's personal belongings resulting in this story.

Girl, 10, Cuffed for Scissors in School

"Sat Dec 11, 4:03 PM ET Strange News - AP

PHILADELPHIA - A 10-year-old girl was placed in handcuffs and taken to a police station because she took a pair of scissors to her elementary school.

School district officials said the fourth-grade student did not threaten anyone with the 8-inch shears, but violated a rule that considers scissors to be potential weapons.
Administrators said they were following state law when they called police Thursday, and police said they were following department rules when they handcuffed Porsche Brown and took her away in a patrol wagon.
'My daughter cried and cried,' said her mother, Rose Jackson. 'She had no idea what she did was wrong. I think that was way too harsh.'
Police officers decided the girl hadn't committed a crime and let her go.
However, school officials suspended her for five days."

===End of Story===

It doesn't sound like she was even running with them.

==PB==