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Fox News Endorses Pepper Spraying an 8 Year Old
You may have heard the story of the Colorado 8 year old who threw a violent temper tantrum at school, and the end result was that the police were called and he was pepper sprayed. On FNC’s Fox and Friends today Gretchen Carlson came out loudly in favor of pepper spraying children by saying, “I say 100% pepper spray and some parenting classes as well. I mean come on.”
Here is the story from 9 News in Colorado:
From 9 News, “According to the report, Aidan was climbing the cart and spitting at teachers. He also broke wood trim off the walls and was trying to stab teachers with it. ‘I wanted to make something sharp if they came out because I was so mad at them. I was going to try to whack them with it.’ The report goes on to say Aidan, was holding what looked like a sharpened one foot stick and he screamed, ‘Get away from me you f—ers.’”
Here is the video of Gretchen Carlson from Media Matters:
Gretchen Carlson said, “I say 100% pepper spray and some parenting classes as well. I mean come on. This is what our schools have to combat right now? This is the third time for an eight year old that the police have been called. Threatening the teachers and you’re eight?” The Fox and Friends crew then went on to read some viewer responses which blamed the parents for not holding the child accountable for his behavior.
Lakewood Police spokesman Steve Davis said that he thought the police made a great choice, “You’ve got teachers barricading themselves in a room. They are obviously frightened,” Davis said. “I think they not only made the right choice, they made a great choice that day to use the pepper spray.”
This child did not have a gun or a knife. He had a f**king stick. The inability of adult law enforcement officers to subdue stick welding eight year without using pepper spray doesn’t inspire confidence in their competence to protect and serve. One of the problems with the widespread use of Tasers and pepper spray is that it has led to some law enforcement officers to utilize a lazy decision making process. Pepper spray is now the fast and easy remedy for any situation.
I find it hard to believe that armed adult officers really believed that they were in mortal danger, and the only reasonable solution was to pepper spray a child. I think the truth is that this was third time that they were called to deal with this kid’s tantrums, and they were sick of it, so they thought they would teach him a lesson and spray him.
The bigger question here is, what was this kid doing in a regular school in the first place? It is obvious that this child has some emotional and behavioral issues that his teachers and likely the school itself were not equipped to deal with. If this has happened multiple times, why was he still in school?
There was obviously a problem that was being ignored and not dealt with. Children have been expelled for less in other schools. Instead of limiting the discussion to should he or should he not have been sprayed, we need to ask what was he doing there in the first place?
It is logical that the police department is going to defend the decision because they are trying to avoid a lawsuit, but the real mind blower is Fox News defending the idea that the best way to deal with a troubled eight year old is to pepper spray him then blame the parents.
Before things ever got to the place where the police had to make a decision on whether or not to pepper spray a child something should have been down about this kid’s emotional issues. By letting things get to the pepper spray point, a whole lot of adults failed Aidan.
I am sure that Gretchen Carlson is all in favor of other people’s children being pepper sprayed just not her own, but when viewed through the eye of the Fox News camera, Real America is starting to look more and more like a police state.
The message is that we don’t need to deal with the underlying issues. Be decisive. Spray first, and ask questions later.
“Real America”: Land of the free, home of the sprayed.
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102 Responses to Fox News Endorses Pepper Spraying an 8 Year Old
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Sarah Jones
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 2:32 pm
The “compassionate” conservatives are all for beating children, sadly. It’s a part of their value system, a shown in multiple books on extreme Christianity not to mention the entire authoritarian mindset.
Note, however, that when a police officer let his son play with his taser, Fox called him a child abuser.
Now, why is that, you ask? Because one of their candidates had a beef with that officer. So, in conservative world, values are flexible based on who is doing it to whom.
John Mottern
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 4:29 pm
Pepper Spraying an 8 year old is insane. Has anyone heard the boy say he had anger issues? The little boy needs a doctor and not pepper spray. My oldest son is 5 years old and he used to act badly as well. After two years and several schools later, we found out that he was bipolar. Nearly 30% of school-aged children have a disability (i.e. ADD,ADHD, Bipolar, Autism and such).
Public high school teacher for over 20 years
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 11:24 pm
I daresay that most of you posting— who seem to know better how to handle “situations”— have been a public (MS) school teacher for over 20 years??? If not, may I politely suggest that you substitute for a few months in some of these schools???–THEN you “Might” have some credibility!
Public high school teacher for over 20 years
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 11:36 pm
If YOUR OWN CHILDREN were being terrorized by a child gone berserk, if they were afraid to go to school, if they learned nothing because the teacher had to spend all of his/ her time dealing with ONE student—just think about it for a minute– WHAT WOULD YOU DO???
How would YOU handle the situation???
It’s really easy to sit back in a fat lazy chair and say what “SHOULD BE DONE”!!!… Just food for thought…
SaneParent
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 1:50 am
Of course the kid needs a doctor and councelling, in the long term. Do you expect the police to provide this, or the parent? The police deal with the short term results and sometimes have to make tough calls. A doctor will take years to deal with a kid like this, not the few seconds policeman has.
With regards to my own children, I would simply never allow it to come to that. Behaviour like that would not be allowed either at home in in school. My daughter is also 8 years old and sometimes has tatrums, but I have never needed to even raise my voice let alone physical means to discipline her.
However, should something like this happen then I would not blame the police and yes, the pepper spray would be effective in that I would use that episode as a lesson to reinforce my own lessons to her.
ParentFirst
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 8:52 am
SaneParent said it best! It seems like these days parents are quick to blame and slow to assess. At what point do you ask yourself… why is my kid acting like this?
Brandon
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 9:13 am
If the parents would do their job in the first place this wouldn’t have happened. Any situation like this, you are going to get people saying it was wrong to do that and you are going to get people to support it. I personally support their decision. Still, if this child had any real parenting, it never would have come to that to begin with.
Madelyne
Apr. 8th, 2011 at 12:24 pm
Obviously, you have not been around children with mood disorders. Not everything can be blamed on parents. As a parents I have as High Honors, very respectful child and another with a mood disorder. Even on various medications and therapy/counseling there are still episodes off aggression and other issues that is just part of the disablity. So not everything can be blamed on parenting some are actual medical conditions.
In the handling of the peper spray, if every other option to calm the child down failed then, I would probably agree. I just hope the officer ask the teachers if the child had Asthma.
Sheriff's Deputy
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 5:33 pm
As a Sheriff’s Deputy, I can tell you that as unfortunate and as cruel as this may sound, this was the safest way to disarm and diffuse this child. The officer called in was wise not to go “hands on” with this child. In a manic state that would have only escalated the situation. The pepper spray forced the child to disengage and “give up”, not continue to fight, which he would have done if they tried to physically disarm and subdue him. This would have more than likely gotten him injured. Pepper spray may be uncomfortable, but it’s relatively harmless.
Oldsun
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 5:53 pm
Really because according to the pepper spray manufactures using it on a child less than the age of 16 could, cause eye damage and or permanent blindness. As a deputy, you went through training where you were told not to use it on a child, at IUP and WCCC training facilities and facilities across this country tell their trainees not to use it on children. Did you fail to go to training that day or are you lying?
John
Apr. 7th, 2011 at 10:01 pm
GREAT CALL!!!
Sarah Jones
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 6:03 pm
Contact with mucous membranes (eyes, nose, throat and lungs) causes immediate dilation of the capillaries. This can result in temporary blindness and instant inflammation of the breathing tube tissues and systematically cuts of all but life support breathing.
Mike
Apr. 13th, 2011 at 12:24 pm
Then get him a doctor. Don’t put him in school to threaten teachers. Little brat. I would hit with the pepper spray too.
Lewis
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 3:28 pm
If this has happened multiple times, why was he still in school?Two words he’s white.
Shiva (Moderator)
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 4:42 pm
He is not only white, he is damm proud of the fact he has an “anger thing”. And evidently mom is too.
Scott Rose
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 2:37 pm
Good work here, Jason. Recently, there have also been cases of a student taping a student’s mouth shut:
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/...
And another in which a teacher cyber-bullied a student by posting her photo to the internet without a model release and then mocking the student and the student’s mother for the student’s hair style:
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/...
Ksue
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 3:33 pm
what’s the problem.. after all look at what is on tv comedy shows put out by the liberal media! kids are only mocking what they see! so the religious right wants to discipline a kid and it is wrong..but a teacher who does this is wrong..so where is the right thing to do?? those who have no faith in God have NO sense of right and wrong and fall prey to stupidity!
Shiva (Moderator)
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 3:53 pm
” after all look at what is on tv comedy shows put out by the liberal media!”
???????? you mean the silly stuff on the Fox Television Network?
Sarah Jones
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 4:24 pm
The inference that using excessive force on children is condoned by Jesus is outrageous. According to you, only people who believe what you believe have morals, and morals include pepper spraying an 8 year old. The Prince of Peace would want children pepper sprayed?
Ok then.
Shiva (Moderator)
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 5:58 pm
which is exactly why I don’t want anything to do with religion any more than passing the church on my way to the grocery store. There are some loonies out there and they’re scary
Rick Shreiner
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 8:49 pm
Yeah, and alot of them are either in the church, or on their way there.
Michelle
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 5:36 pm
So all atheists are violent and have anger management issues, eh? Funny, the many atheists I personally know are some of the most ethical people I have ever met. My 15 year old lifelong atheist son raised by his atheist mother (me) is a straight A student at school, quite mature for his age, respectful of people, always gets either “satisfactory” or “outstanding” on his report cards for his behavior. Saying all those who have “no faith in God have NO sense of rigth and wrong and fall prey to stupidity!” is not unlike saying all Christians are hypocritical idiots… In other words, people are individuals regardless of theistic belief system or lack thereof. But thanks for showing your bigotry.
Shamin
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 11:41 pm
I believe it has to do with parenting….. not who believe’s in what god or doesn’t believe… teach your children right from wrong… get them off the video games(Violent or Not), take away the cell phones, quit giving in to every whim that the children want, and you will end up with kids that can think and make the right choices. Parents Quit letting day cares raise your children, dicipline starts at home just as easy as love does…..Some times no matter what some people, children and adults, can’t control themselves no matter what the situation is….
As for pepper spraying the 8yr old… I don’t completely agree with spraying a child…. but… you don’t think that the boy knew that the teachers would call the police, AGAIN!! What a thing for him to brag about to his friends, AGAIN. For this to happen 3 times… the School, Teachers, Parents and family have failed this child so far… do something now before it is to late for him!!! training starts at home!!!! Parents: love, encourage, praise, honor and declipine your children… they make mistakes along the way but so do adults….
majii
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 5:40 pm
“Suffer the children to come unto me for such is the kingdom of heaven,” sound familiar, Ksue? Seems to me that Jesus might not have approved of using pepper spray on a little kid.
Also, there is no “liberal media,” but there is a corporate media in this country that “reports” the “news” in a way that pads its bottom line to increase profits.
Boscoe
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 5:44 pm
“those who have no faith in God have NO sense of right and wrong and fall prey to stupidity!”
Wow… you are a moron. No, no, you’re right, nobody with faith in God EVER did anything bad. Yep.
No wait, I was right the first time, you’re a complete fucking moron.
Shiva (Moderator)
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 6:00 pm
I would put my faith in a world of atheists far before I would put my faith in a world of sharia law Christians
Ignia
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 9:05 pm
Sharia Law Christians…
Or as I like to call them, the 10 Commandments Bigots.
Shiva (Moderator)
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 9:08 pm
Both ways work hun
Public high school teacher for over 20 years
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 11:18 pm
Some of the ten commands:
Don’t murder
Don’t steal
Don’t steal the spouse of another
Don’t covet
…Really..and what’s WRONG WITH THOSE MORAL COMMANDS???? Do you want others to do all of those things to YOUR children/ family???
What is our world coming to???..
REAL Christians love one another!
Shiva (Moderator)
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 11:23 pm
Nothings wrong with the commandments. They are good now, and they were good when the Israelis got them from the Code of Hammurabi from almost a 1000 years before
The problem is in the actions of fundamental xtians, not the every day xtian like yourself. And its obvious that the GOP is purchased by the Fundies
Public high school teacher for over 20 years
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 11:28 pm
I, too, am appalled by the actions of the Westboro church—and so is Bill O’Reilly–I can always disagree without being disagreeable. But KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!! The more I study the Bible, the more humble I become.
Shamin
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 12:56 am
don’t have to be christian to love one antother!!! teach the morals and right and wrong will not be a debate!!!
Kabreu54
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 1:51 pm
Nice language. Educated are you?
Jay
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 3:11 pm
Well said!!
Anne
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 2:43 pm
As always, FOX Noise “commentators” show just how deeply immersed they are in the Dark Ages–the same place they’d like to take the rest of us. It’s obvious that this child is emotionally disturbed and that the adults in his life have failed him. On top of this, he will probably develop a lifelong distrust of law enforcement officers, which does not bode well for him as an adult.
ffaelan condragh
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 2:46 pm
There is a huge difference between beating children and proper discipline (ei:spanking). I’m sorry, I’m about as liberal as people come and I would have probably kick that kids head off his shoulders. Irregardless of him being 8, he had a sharpened stick and was threatening people. They were HIDING from his outbursts. This is an extreme situation. Pepper spray, if you have never been sprayed, is not the worst thing in the world. Yes it burns. Yes you’ll cry. Yes it will hurt for sometime afterward. Much like a spanking, it’s a negative reinforcement that behavior like this is not acceptable.
Sure people get out of hand and use it improperly. Much like everyone will at some point use something inappropriately for their own gains. If you think you haven’t, you are deluding yourself and should probably take a good look at your own behaviors.
Food for thought.
“We criticize police for behaving like automatons and being in human faces of “The Man”. Then when they act human in an extreme situation that calls for cold logic, be berate them as acting inappropriately.”
You ever think police are just reacting to your bad behavior?
Anyway, that’s my piece. Sorry to tirade. I hope this kid gets real help and I hope his parents are admonished.
Ksue
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 3:35 pm
I agree! The kid was a hazard to everyone around him! sharp sticks can hurt..he was angry and he PLANNED to hurt someone! He’ll be in jail before he’s 16 if he doesn’t get his butt spanked!
Jason Easley
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 3:59 pm
Sharp sticks hurt!!! Oh my God, the kid should have been gunned down on the spot.
How is this eight year old menace still walking the streets?
No wonder Bin Laden is still free. We can’t even deal with an 8 year old with a stick, much less a terrorist that killed thousands of Americans.
Jon
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 11:19 pm
That child needs his hinny spanked, poor parenting and its shows in the child. now he’s 8 years old and it offly hard to reprogra
m him ,the parents waited to long to allow this behavior to go
on now looked what it had come to. What do you mean reason with
him, he’s 8, he should do what you say period, he’s a child :-(
these kids have to much freedom and free will these days,
America needs to wake up.
Donna Alexander
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 9:10 am
Being a Baby Boomer in an era where there was parental discipline, ie spanking, I would agree for the need of discipline at home, BUT I am also the grandparent of a child with Asperger’s Syndrome/ADHD and who was having constant behavioral problems in school, before being diagnosed.I have also worked in a Psychiatric hospital where it has taken 6 adults to safely restrain an 85 pound 16 year old female in danger of hurting herself and others. Because of these experiences, I will not comment on what should or should not be done. I will only say that unless you were there or have lived with this child, you have no right to make disparaging remarks against what was done, the police involved, teachers involved, or the child and parent in question. However if you want to play “judge & jury” in writing, go ahead show your “superior intelligence”.
Janine
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 3:39 pm
I agree with you on this one, Jason I think you are off the mark here.
This kid was totally over the top, (by the explanation in your article) and he had put the other children and teachers in a harmful position. Yes, the cops should have been called, yes, they needed to do something to stop the tyrant of the out of whack kid, and yes, there probably was some idea that something was wrong beforehand. However, way too often the parents are expecting the schools to handle all issues with their kids, they don’t take responsibility or they are just too darn busy to be involved in their kids school.
Sorry, but I totally support the actions of the officers and the schools in this explained scenario. As for FOX news. They should keep their mouths shut – we don’t really care what they personally think do we…..
Oldsun
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 4:04 pm
Even before you comment go pepper spray yourself and tell me an eight year old should be peppered. If you do not do it to yourself and feel what it is like never say it should be done to a child!
Sarah Jones
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 4:26 pm
Still waiting for Sean Hannity to waterboard himself, like he promised. Lots of tough talk from the Foxites. Not so tough in the field.
Oldsun
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 5:11 pm
Ha first Hannity would have to find people he trusted to help him. I mean lets face it you trust any one at Fox for anything.
Sarah Jones
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 5:19 pm
That’s true, they probably wouldn’t stop.
Oldsun
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 7:38 pm
That would be teh greatest most funniest thing on TV Hannity’s grabbled cries for help as Beck and O’Reilly waterboard Hannity
Sarah Jones
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 7:50 pm
Palin has to be there, dressed in her black and red Dominatrix nod, screeching at Hannity about socialism as he begs for mercy.
Oldsun
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 8:02 pm
LOL ;)
ffaelan condragh
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 11:14 pm
I HAVE BEEN PEPPER SPRAYED. To find out what it was like. I’m still alive and I want nothing to with it ever again. LESSON LEARNED
Jason Easley
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 3:57 pm
The police do not get to react to bad behavior especially in the case of an 8 year old child. That is not their job.
FYI: Warning labels on Pepper spray say it is not recommended for use on children.
Why were they hiding from an outburst by an eight year old with a stick? Couldn’t two adults have walked up to the child and disarmed him, or do we have so little accountability in our society that we just run, call the cops, and let them handle it?
Seriously, this was an angry kid with a stick. He isn’t even a big kid. Adults need to be adults and handle the situation. If he pokes you sue the school, sue his parents, but pepper spray is not required.
Shiva (Moderator)
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 4:15 pm
disarming an eight-year-old kid should be easier than finding a toothpick for an adult. If you have to hide from a kid with a stick you should probably be setting in one of the kids chairs yourself. him him and his him like he said officers as in plural. If one officer couldn’t get around and back and the kid and disarm him, they have a problem. but then again it’s like the 11-year-old girl that got raped. You don’t rape 11-year-olds and you don’t pepper spray a-year-olds.
On the other hand the kid has anger management problems and is proud of it. He’s been told he has anger problems and his parents at least on the surface arnt doing diddly squat about it. There is nothing like telling a kid he has anger issues and then patting him on the back and say go to it boy. personally I want to slap his mother when he was saying he had anger things and he doesn’t think it’ll ever go away.. It’s easier to run away from your kids problems then it is to face them I guess
Lisa
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 9:15 pm
“irregardless” is not a word and spanking is not negative reinforcement, it’s a punishment. Negative reinforcement is taking something away in order to increase a response.
Sorry…but I just can’t stand for someone to act all “high & mighty” yet not even know what they’re talking about.
Also, you don’t know this child, nor do you know his parents. They very well could be awful people, but they could also be people who are struggling to care for a young child with severe emotional and mental health issues. Dealing with such issues is about as ‘real’ as one can get.
jackie
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 10:11 pm
As sad as it is to say, I understand why the police were called and the teachers hid. I was room mom in my daughters Kindergarten class and there was a boy who was a danger to the other children and adults as well. He would throw tantrums, punch other children in the face, throw chairs, toys and tables across the room, and scream right in the teachers face. The teacher could not legally touch him, at all. The only person permitted to physically retrain the child was the principal. She was called to the room to get him at least 3 times per week.
I called the school board and tried to get this child help, they did nothing. One morning as I was leaving,he became angry and began throwing chairs at the other students. My daughter was hit by one and then punched in the face by the boy. She was/still is taking Taekwondo and knocked his legs out from under him and pinned him to the floor. Guess who got a red mark on her record? That’s right, my daughter. We came in for the meeting, got the mark removed, and removed her from the school for good.
The teachers have no legal authority to restrain a child. The police are not hindered by those same legalities.
Shiva (Moderator)
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 10:18 pm
that explains why some kids later in their school life are out of control.
Dave
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 1:14 am
Not just that, but having one kid like that in the classroom, pretty much ensures that nobody else gets educated. Sadly some schools just don’t have the money/don’t want to work at it to deal with children like this and so just try to ignore the problem.
ffaelan condragh
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 11:19 pm
dictionary.reference.com/...
learn to use a dictionary before you “act all high and mighty”
And “taking something away in order to increase a response.” is a form of Negative Reinforcement.
Reynardine
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 3:02 pm
The Church once told women they should be ashamed of being pregnant (even though it also told them that was all they were good for) because their bellies were filled with the demonic spawn of sin. Babies were seen as inherently diabolical: after all, they howled with gluttony, grabbed tits with sensual glee, excreted all over themselves, spread their legs immodestly when they were being changed, and even sometimes giggled when their parts were tickled by cleaning. Anyone could see how depraved they were. Titian did: he created a work called “Children’s Bachanale”, which showed chubby, naked toddlers heaped all over each other in such sensual abandon it was understood why nobles and clergy just couldn’t resist f***ing those irresistably plump, dimpled, tempting little *.
Well, guess what. The Religious Right’s attitude hasn’t changed all that much.
victoria_29
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 3:24 pm
I like Gretchen usually but she totally lost me here. I hope to God that they pepper spray one of her children. In the first place if your a teacher & you can NOT handle a 8 yr old get the hell out of the classroom & if your a police officer that can’t handle an 8 yr old then you need to be fired. Maybe someone should investigate Gretchen for child abuse if she considers this discipline. Spanking, time out, grounding-are discipline, this is abuse.
Guin
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 12:37 pm
If YOU’RE trying to make a point use correct grammar!
Mary
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 12:51 pm
At this point, it’s NOT that important for grammmmmerrrrrr!!!!!
DannyEastVillage
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 4:36 pm
They keep calling the kid’s episodes “tantrums” but it sounds like he’s pretty hyperactive and may need to be evaluated by a psychiatrist.
At any rate, if he were my kid I’d have zero tolerance for the pepper spray and the school, the school system and the cops would find that out quickly. I wouldn’t be the least bit hesitant about seeing them in court.
Public high school teacher for over 20 years
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 11:51 pm
But you might have a different attitude if the 8 year old had just sprayed your child with pepper spray—or sprayed with bullets– ???..And in many rural public schools—seeing a psychiatrist is not a priority for the parent who may be 21 or 22…and have 2 or 3 other children.
We currently have a pregnant 7th grader.
We have 2 parents as 8th graders.
Do any of these concerns ever drift through the consciousness of anyone who doesn’t HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS ON A DAILY BASIS??????????????????????????????????????????????
majii
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 5:33 pm
Here’s another incident in which a teacher uses pepper spray to “solve” a problem she was having with a special needs student in her classroom:
www.macon.com/2011/04/05/...
I’m a retired public school high teacher who worked in this area in GA, and it’s hard for me to understand when/why it would ever be necessary to use pepper spray on a student unless he/she were posing a real physical threat to the teacher/students. IMO, this case doesn’t meet these standards and neither does Aidan’s.
majii
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 8:47 pm
meant public high school teacher
Public high school teacher for over 20 years
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 11:56 pm
Dear Retired,
Times are changing rapidly!..and not for the better..
Just this week: favorite video game of a 10 year old~”Bullying”
Other top picks: Boondocks & South Park
Have you “googled” and read the transcripts of these shows?
Us current teacher “live” these every day…all day!!
I am concerned for our kids!!! I LOVE my kids!!!
Nefti
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 8:03 pm
This is SHEAR INSANITY!!!!
cas
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 8:59 pm
seriously? kids mother should be pepper sprayed, rodny-kinged and ducted taped to chair in parenting class… what happens when this punk is 15 and the crazy CO cops use bullets? this kid needs some help and some big tough love. but really this kid should form a good relationship with the cops cuz he gonna being seeing alot of them
StephaniR
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 10:09 pm
Setting religion and politics aside, where are the parents who are committed to raising well behaved children who are contributors to society? As a parent of children in public schools, I would like our teachers to be teaching not taking down an 8 year old with anger issues (wonder where he got those words?). Imagine what the other kids in the classroom are exposed to….
Why does everyone jump to the conclusion he has ADD, ADHD or ODD? Why can’t he just be a child who needs to tough love, ground him, spank him, take away video games and his toys? I hope his mother watches herself on television, because if he is not arrested next, he may be tasered….. shocking :)
Ivan
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 10:47 pm
The mom was right when she said, “They (meaning the police) treated him like a common criminal.”
That is exactly what he is, an 8 y.o. common criminal and the plice were correct in their action.
Shiva (Moderator)
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 11:12 pm
An 8 yo common criminal? Thats pathetic
His parents are the criminals, not the kid
AcidQueen
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 11:01 pm
The kid needed to be disarmed and restrained to keep from harming himself or others–but he did NOT need to be pepper-sprayed. What if he had a capsaicin allergy? What if he had a bad reaction to the propellant or something else in the pepper spray?
That response was too over the top.
Reynardine
Apr. 5th, 2011 at 11:58 pm
I worked in a nut ward for juveniles in my salad days, with teenagers a lot bigger than this kid, and under no circumstances would we have been allowed to use anything like tasers or pepper spray, had those been available. A kid under ten, even if carrying a potentially injurious object, can generally be subdued by one able-bodied adult with a blanket. The extreme rages of this kid suggest either an organic problem or some type of severe abuse or trauma going on somewhere. If wholly psychogenic, that kind of rage usually comes from a feeling of being trapped and panic. This kid needs a thorough neuropsychiatric workup, an evaluatory interview by a Psy D., and a background study that looks at the home, the school, and the neighborhood.
Dave
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 1:11 am
Sadly, kids like this are in a lot more schools than just this one in Colorado. Lots of kids are really screwed up. I met with one who was proud of the fact that he intimidated his teacher and threw his classroom’s only computer at her (breaking it). He was still in “regular” school. It’s expensive to deal with students like this and too many districts take the easy way out. Incidentally, as a result, nobody in their classroom learns a darn thing.
Reynardine
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 8:08 am
No, this sort of outburst should not be permitted to go on in a regular classroom. If we were not so busy “ensuring our children’s futures” by defunding education and social services, breaking teachers’ unions and firing teachers, and forcing the ones that are left to teach in overcrowded, underfunded classrooms with deteriorating plant and curricula that mandate the teaching of superstition and bigotry instead of science and history, we would have special facilities for such kids, some of them residential, with specially trained teachers, staff psychologists, and a child psychiatrist on call. Don’t stand on one leg waiting for it to happen, unless you want them to paint you pink and sell you for a flamingo. Until it does, though, I recommend that teachers and parents faced with such situations get together and raise a stink.
Jay
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 8:40 am
Ultimately, the parents are responsible in this case (or lack thereof). Firstly, I don’t suppose anyone noticed that the father was noticeable absent in interview. I guess he had an important business meeting or maybe he simply doesn’t exist in this child’s life. Secondly, it is clear that regardless of whether this child has “special” behavioral and anger management issues, that he doesn’t have any discipline, structure, or authority in his life; Yes this actually DOES work. Ideally, this kid should not have been in a public school to begin with. Ordinarily I would not suggest or condone using pepper spray, but in this case it was warranted. This is what happens when children are left unchecked and not raised or cared for properly. Mom and Dad didn’t do their job, so the state is left to do it (in this case the local law enforcement called in by the school). If you don’t want someone else doing your job in a manner in which you wouldn’t do it, then just maybe you ought to DO your job as a parent to begin with! To those of you that say he was wielding a “harmeless stick” or piece of wood: So I presume you want to wait until this kid were to stab someone or gouge a classmate’s eye out? What then? Would you say it was excessive force to use pepper spray after someone was blinded? As they say, hindsight is 20/20. Get real!
Guin
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 12:44 pm
No one is talking about the real risk this kid posed. He could have easily walked into another classroom and hurt students who were trying to learn!
Oldsun
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 12:52 pm
yes the real risk of an eight year old with adults around be afriad be vey afriad.
J.
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 9:01 am
I’m with the author on the conclusion: it was lazy decision-making, and like the video states, dialogue worked the first two times, why wasn’t it used for the third? And why wasn’t the mother notified immediately so that she could assist? There’s a difference between law enforcement officers and peace officers, this was an example of the former, while the first two situations were examples of the latter.
However, everything concerning “Fox News endorses Pepper spraying an 8-year old” is bunk. That’s like stating infomercials represent the station it’s appearing on. Gretchen Carlson endorsed it, and I don’t put much confidence in Gretchen Carlson’s judgment to begin with.
Shiva (Moderator)
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 9:09 am
Is Fox News a network of loosely joined people all speaking independent opinions?
NAY I say!
John
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 9:07 am
I am just amazed how some people want to bring politics and religion into this. This child as others have said is not disciplined at home and that is where it all stems from. I was raised by parents that put the fear of god into you. If you acted up you knew you were going to get your butt spanked. Oh that’s right we can’t do that anymore that is child abuse. No that is bullshit!! The blame falls on the parents on this one.
Sarah Jones
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 9:54 am
You do realize that you brought both religion and politics into your statement, right?
You said, “I was raised by parents that put the fear of god into you”
“Oh, that’s right, we can’t do that anymore that is child abuse” (right wing complaint about PC codes)
If you seek the most responsible child, your best bet is to raise them with an internal locus of control/values. For example, since you brought both religion and politics into this, blue states have lower pre-martial pregnancies, more children who graduate high school and go to college and less divorce.
Studies have shown that physical violence is not actually an effective way of controlling children, or spouses.
Just as we are doing in the military, so we do with our children – engage the hearts and minds. And teaching children to fear god rather than to value themselves and have self-respect leads to children who act out more sexually. These are just the facts – you can do with them as you wish. But if it is moral discipline you are after, you are going down the wrong path.
Jay
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 10:06 am
No Sarah, it is YOU that has gone down the wrong path. It is NO small coincidence that the decline of well-behaved disciplined children corresponds to the whole Dr. Spock theory of bs! And contrary to what your statements suggest, physical discipline is NOT the same as physical violence. Although you might like to convince people of that.
Sarah Jones
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 10:46 am
Well, sorry, but the facts disagree with you. Look up the stats in red states versus blue states re discipline of children. Why is it that teaching children to have an internal locus of control is more effective?
Dr Spock is a strawman boogeyman to the right, like ACORN is, so knock that off. I have no stake in Dr Spock and I didn’t advance him in the argument. I am talking about statistics here, as well as well documented psychological theories. Teaching the “fear of God” is simply not effective; if it were, red states would not have the overwhelming numbers of premarital pregnancies, teenage pregnancies, divorce and highest consumption of online porn. “Fear of God” is not the equivalent of morality, either. Nor is it the equivalent of a spiritual belief, so that part of your argument needs to be left in the dust. In fact, that part of your argument is the weakest part, since almost ever single one of the leaders advancing such notions have been caught cheating on their spouses, lying to the people, etc. They project their own lack of control onto others and that is why they seek to have authoritarian control over others. However, not everyone is as out of control as to need “fear” to keep them in line. Some people are guided by internal values of morality, ethics, and self respect.
Trying to control people via fear is ineffective in the long run, esp children. But of course, you have to defend this as it’s the entire premise of the far right religious political theory being advanced by your leaders in church and at the ballot. Just because you believe that doesn’t make it so. Also, you do realize that your argument is the same as the Taliban’s, right? Strike fear into children and they will do as you say. Why not lead them to make good decisions on their own? Because to do so would be to risk losing control of them, that’s why.
I am not talking about spanking, either. This article is about pepper spray being used on children.
Jay
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 11:36 am
The point being, a healthy “fear” (different from the fear you think) of parents, a respect for parents and their authority, an awareness that if you cross the line there will be consequences and punishment, be it grounding or as a last resort spanking. The point being, if you throw this type of structure out of a child’s life that you will end up with a young child that knows no bounds and will be pepper-sprayed down the road as this one was!
Sarah Jones
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 12:28 pm
Speaking of respect for authority, what’s up with the way the right treats the President and CIC?
Amanda
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 11:06 am
It is ridiculous to pepper spray a child. Try to remember we don’t have all the facts, we never do. It could be that there is a legal consideration about physically restraining the boy, like in an IEP? As for why he’s in a regular school, that’s because of federal special education laws. They state that a child must be put in the least restrictive environment possible. Leaving many children in classrooms that they can’t handle and schools with kids they aren’t prepared to handle.
Mary
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 12:46 pm
For shame!!! It’s so much easier to pepper spray this child who obviously has mental problems than to try to reason with him and subdue him, take him to the doctor you idiots! You don’t have to believe in God for this. Just do it! This child needs medical attention and quick! Parent(s), take counseling with your son, he needs you NOW. I USED to LOVE Fox….but you’re not welcomed in my home anymore…..I am so glad that I do not have to ‘answer’ for anyone else’s behavior but my own….
Jay
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 12:56 pm
Oh, you mean like the way the left treated the former President and CIC? It cuts both ways. We could debate this one all day long but I refrain. On a more salient point, I respect the President because of the office he holds and for no other reason. NOT because of “authority”. Authority connotes authoritarian and we do not live in a dictatorship. We are “trying” to live in a constitutional republic as it was founded.
Scott Bieser
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 1:33 pm
My elder son also had anger issues at that age. He never assaulted anyone, but at one point he was overheard muttering that he wanted to shoot his teacher. So he was suspended and we got visits from CPS and cops because, obviously something was wrong with our family, right?
My solution was to take my son out of school, and home-school him. The anger faded away over time and was gone within a year. He is now 20, attending community college, and is one of the more well-adjusted people that age I know. In retrospect it was clear that it was the school environment that was making him angry.
I don’t know anything about this 8-year-old or his family life and neither does any other commenter here. But that so many of you reflexively defend the cops and blame the family tells me a lot about what “liberalism” means in the 21st Century.
Sarah Jones
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 1:56 pm
I don’t know where you got that from — most of the people defending the cops are actually not identified as “liberals” — in fact, most of them are using God and right wing talking points to justify pepper spray against a child, not to mention that the article was written by a liberal who was condemning pepper spray against a child and saying the child probably shouldn’t have been in that school.
Jay
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 3:06 pm
No doubt that the parents that are crying foul the loudest on this are the ultra libs who probably have comparable parenting skills to this little monster’s mother. Maybe a 10 minute time out will do and no cookies at snack time! Yeah, right. You most likely have equally ineffective parenting skills and you can’t feel for the rest of the class who actually has a legal right to an unthreatening, safe and effective education. As for Grethan Carlson, she, like many other parents, is probably raising well behaved children that are disciplined if and when needed. (Newsflash, that’s what makes the difference). In my opinion the 8 year olds mother needs to incorporate some old fashioned discipline into the boys life before he does something that has serious. longterm consequences.
Lewis
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 3:29 pm
If this has happened multiple times, why was he still in school?
Jay
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 3:37 pm
I feel liberal anger here. Someone needs to point out that Bush is no longer president. So you can all stop blaming him for everything that has occured or anything that will occur in the future. Oh yeah, hows that hope and change working for you? Some of you commenters here have a considerable amount of time on your hands. Ya gotta love the internet, it’s a giant platform for smart and stupid people alike, so keep in mind if you’re a moron, the rest of us can pick you out in a second.
John
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 6:22 pm
If anyone pepper sprayed my 8 year old child under ANY circumstances, I would END them. OVER. Dirt nap.
EMC
Apr. 6th, 2011 at 7:43 pm
I do not like Obama, but this is getting extreme. No to pepper spraying an 8 year old with a stick. The church is is hypocritical – it is okay for Jan Brewer’s kid to try and kill someone or Bristol to get pregnant. They are one step up from the illegals and black Criminals they so hate. Fox even exonerated someone from making Nazi cakes in Austria. I wish they would give the actual “News” instead of idiotic blue colar retarded blurbs. I read the Journal now.
Jay
Apr. 7th, 2011 at 11:14 am
How about the incredibly stupid comments from the peple who say things to the effect that if this was done to their kid they’d kill the person who did it or they would end them “Dirt Nap”. That’s great, you’ve obviously had a wonderful up bringing. Sounds to me like you may have been just like this little monster growing up.
These are the same losers who have bumper stickers that read “My kid beat up your honor student”. I truly hope these people aren’t parents because I feel real bad for their kids. And by the way after your lethal injection is over from the killing your threating to do you’ll be just as dead and also taking a dirt nap.
Nighty night!!
Mdoss
Apr. 11th, 2011 at 6:57 am
The “8 year olds” today are bigger than you would think And police are told to disarm a person the most safest way to lease endanger themselves and the perk. Now of they started beating him down with their clubs after his was sprayed, then I’d give the benefit of the doubt.
Mike
Apr. 13th, 2011 at 12:22 pm
This kid deserves to be treated “like a common criminal”. If he’s going to act like one he’s goning to be treated like one. BAD PARENTS. LAZY PARENTS. SHAME ON THE PARENTS
SICG
Apr. 19th, 2011 at 9:36 am
Come on mom it is called paying attention and quality time spent with your son not just give them what they cry for to get them out of your hair. Mom say he is just 8 years old and treated like a criminal take a step back mom and see the reasoning behind your statement.Home schooling is your friend/answer but then again she says come on he is only 8 years old. Sure he needs a doctor so they can push more drugs on the legal side of the house but drugs are not the answer to a society that has slowly falling apart at the seems.