Slap from preschool teacher

Mfarr3ll · 20-04-2016 01:53PM #1

Hi everyone,

I recently put my son into playschool 2 days a week he turned 3 in March and will get the free year in September but at present we are paying 40 for the two days.

He came home today and told me he didn't get a sticker because "teachers name" slapped him"

He isn't a story teller and I've asked him a few questions and the story stays the exact same.

There's a little girl in his class whose name has always been mentioned since he started. He says she pushes him and his teacher shouts at her to stop.

On Monday the little girl came running out to hug him after a few seconds he started screaming because she was choking him and his teacher + her mother says she has no sense presumably because she has down syndrome I'm really not sure.

So today he said his teacher gave out to him for pushing her and told him to sit down then he got up and pushed the girl again because she pushed him and his teacher slapped him and sat him down. I don't slap him he never needed it I prefer to bend down and talk to him if he's naughty or use a naughty step.

Should I speak to other parents to see if their children can back it up or should I ring the owner straight away

I don't think he's tell a fib

nhunter100 · 20-04-2016 02:14PM

If your son was slapped by a teacher, that is serious. It's classed as assault. Definitely contact the owner.

Mfarr3ll · 20-04-2016 02:17PM

I'm just trying to calm my nerves I think they are nerves I tend to go from 0 to 100 on the anger scale so I'm trying to compose myself before I ring. My husband said ring her and tell her our son said he was slapped today on his bump and that I'm wondering why. I do think think she will come back and say oh yes he was slapped and land herself in it but we will see

bajer101 · 20-04-2016 02:37PM

Corporal punishment was banned in schools in Ireland in 1982 and was made a criminal offence in 1996. Report it immediately. I had a similar experience and while the offence was never officially admitted, the person responsible conveniently decided to move on.

TheBeach · 20-04-2016 02:44PM

Omg I am very shocked to read this. That person should not be working with children. Personally I.think you should contact the guards.

uck51js9zml2yt · 20-04-2016 02:50PM

TheBeach wrote: »

Omg I am very shocked to read this. That person should not be working with children. Personally I.think you should contact the guards.

Over reaction in my opinion. Let the parents at least talk to the owner first.

Mfarr3ll · 20-04-2016 03:24PM

Couldn't get the owner she's very ill in bed but the teacher came on and when I told her my son said she slapped him she said ah now it was a tip not a slap. So where I go from here is another thing. I just said I needed clarification of what happened she said he was a bit of of control and knocked someone over she said it's not the policy of the playschool to use time out but she needed to today. While I agree with time out and the naughty step if needed.

Mfarr3ll · 20-04-2016 06:17PM

bajer101 wrote: »

Corporal punishment was banned in schools in Ireland in 1982 and was made a criminal offence in 1996. Report it immediately. I had a similar experience and while the offence was never officially admitted, the person responsible conveniently decided to move on.

Who do I report it to. My husband is so annoyed.

byhookorbycrook · 20-04-2016 06:51PM

Mfarr3ll wrote: »

Couldn't get the owner she's very ill in bed but the teacher came on and when I told her my son said she slapped him she said ah now it was a tip not a slap. So where I go from here is another thing. I just said I needed clarification of what happened she said he was a bit of of control and knocked someone over she said it's not the policy of the playschool to use time out but she needed to today..

If she has admitted to tipping him that is essentially a slap. Illegal.

Teachers who administer corporal punishment are liable to be charged with assault as s.24 of the Non-Fatal Offences against the Person Act, 1997 removed their immunity from liability in respect of physical chastisement.

It's not like he ran into her hand or something she has admitted what she has done was to punish. I would contact Tusla.

mickdw · 20-04-2016 06:59PM

Overreaction much?
The op should prepare for mental hardship in the coming years if you cannot let small things slid. He is in pre school. When in primary there will be a tale every day.
If he was punished at home and warned not to be causing trouble at school, it might be a better end result that attempting to have the teacher sacked.

nhunter100 · 20-04-2016 07:00PM

mickdw wrote:

Overreaction much? The op should prepare for mental hardship in the coming years if you cannot let small things slid. He is in pre school. When in primary there will be a tale every day. If he was punished at home and warned not to be causing trouble at school, it might be a better end result that attempting to have the teacher sacked.

So it's ok to hit a 3 year old child?

20-04-2016 07:03PM

mickdw wrote: »

Overreaction much?
The op should prepare for mental hardship in the coming years if you cannot let small things slid. He is in pre school. When in primary there will be a tale every day.
If he was punished at home and warned not to be causing trouble at school, it might be a better end result that attempting to have the teacher sacked.

Punishment should not involve assaulting a 3 year old child.

claire983 · 20-04-2016 07:06PM

Hi Mfarr3ll

I would recommend that you visit the pre school and speak to the person in charge. If the owner/ manager is unavailable speak to the person in charge at the time.
Relay the conversation you had with the teacher on the phone, she has admitted that she hit your child, whether it was a tap or slap, it was assault.
Regardless of your son hitting or pushing another child the pre-school teacher can not physically punish your child or any other child.
All childcare professionals has a duty of care to all children under their supervision.
If you find you're not getting anywhere with the pre school you can contact the County Boards Committee of Childcare or Tulsa Childcare Inspections.

claire983 · 20-04-2016 07:09PM

mickdw wrote:

Overreaction much? The op should prepare for mental hardship in the coming years if you cannot let small things slid. He is in pre school. When in primary there will be a tale every day. If he was punished at home and warned not to be causing trouble at school, it might be a better end result that attempting to have the teacher sacked.

All childcare professionals have a duty of care to each and every child under their supervision.

Shadylou · 20-04-2016 07:10PM

No matter what he did it is never ok for a teacher to hit a student...... I would be lodging an official complaint with the owner and with tusla.

pajero12 · 20-04-2016 07:10PM

nhunter100 wrote: »

So it's ok to hit a 3 year old child?

He never said that? People are talking about contacting the gards over a slap on the bum, While the teacher was wrong, That's a complete overreaction.

bubblypop wrote: »

Punishment should not involve assaulting a 3 year old child.

You can punish a kid without "assaulting" him.The kid was in the wrong also. And does deserve some form of punishment.

claire983 · 20-04-2016 07:15PM

pajero12 wrote:

You can punish a kid without "assaulting" him.The kid was in the wrong also. And does deserve some form of punishment.

Yes the children were wrong to be hitting or pushing each other but the teacher needs to identify that and follow policy and procedures. All pre-school teachers receive training on how to manage situations like that. Conflict resolution is one form.
Slapping / tapping a child is not!!!

12Phase · 20-04-2016 07:18PM

Slapping is actually outright illegal here under all circumstances.

It's not beyond the realms of possibility that someone can be a rogue childcare worker. We have had scandals with people being physically abusive towards young children, old people etc etc

It needs serious investigation. Turning a blind eye to this kind of thing to avoid making trouble is how abusive situations develop.

I would report it to the relevant authorities now. Kids that age don't make things up. They're totally literal.

uck51js9zml2yt · 20-04-2016 07:20PM

Everyone wanting to report it !!!

A better course of action would be to talk to the owner and file an official complaint. Then get the owner to deal with the issue and provide a solution.
If there is no solution,or its unsatisfactory then take it further.

chillin117 · 20-04-2016 07:23PM

TheBeach wrote: »

Omg I am very shocked to read this. That person should not be working with children. Personally I.think you should contact the guards.

Bit OTT !

Boater123 · 20-04-2016 07:24PM

Sasha Raspy Globe wrote: »

Everyone wanting to report it !!!

A better course of action would be to talk to the owner and file an official complaint. Then get the owner to deal with the issue and provide a solution.
If there is no solution,or its unsatisfactory then take it further.

This seems to be the best course of action IMO.

Blatter · 20-04-2016 07:29PM

I would need to have seen the 'slap' to be able to form a proper opinion on this.

If it was a slap with proper force behind it that genuinely frightened the child, then that's a problem.

If it was more of a gentle pat to grab the child's attention and the child was
overplaying/misinterpreting the incident, it would sicken me to the core to see a person potentially lose their job over that. It would be disgusting.

The people on this thread calling for this to be reported to the guards without a seconds thought are a disgrace.

Mfarr3ll · 20-04-2016 07:29PM

mickdw wrote: »

Overreaction much?
The op should prepare for mental hardship in the coming years if you cannot let small things slid. He is in pre school. When in primary there will be a tale every day.
If he was punished at home and warned not to be causing trouble at school, it might be a better end result that attempting to have the teacher sacked.

I have a 9 year old in primary school a typical boy he's in football/boxing/swimming and in all of these activities never once have I had someone lay an unauthorised hand on him.

How in God's name do u suggest I punish him Mick he was 3 two weeks ago would the belt suffice????? Warn him not to cause trouble !!! Maybe if he was a secondary school goer but he's a toddler

bajer101 · 20-04-2016 07:31PM

Mfarr3ll wrote: »

Who do I report it to. My husband is so annoyed.

The fact that the teacher admitted to even "tipping" the child displays an attitude of thinking that they think that physicality is an acceptable form of discipline. There are plenty of people who think that it is perfectly acceptable to slap children. Physical reprimands of any sort are not acceptable from a teacher and as has been mentioned is illegal. Even "light" physical reprimands could instill in a child that physical action was an acceptable way to resolve problems.

While you would be perfectly within your rights to report it to Tusla, I would be a bit reluctant to do this (but this is just my opinion). When a similar incident happened with my then 6 year old, I decided that the best course of action was to report it locally within the school and sit down with all involved, including the board of management. I made it clear that I did not want the person involved anywhere near my child again. I wasn't looking for heads to roll or anything like that. The problem conveniently resolved itself with the person moving on.

kirving · 20-04-2016 07:33PM

Let's be honest, things aren't as black and white as some people shouting 'assault' might imagine them to be, and a naughty step isn't always going to be an effective deterrent.

Is it possible for a three year old to accurately and repeatably describe the force at which he was hit? Was there a mark left? Was this while the kids were fighting, or deliberately afterwards as a punishment?

Mfarr3ll · 20-04-2016 07:34PM

The teacher is the Manager or second in command when the owner is unavailable.

I have the owners number here and I will be texting her asking her to call me urgently later. My son talks very well for a 3 year old. There are children there who do not speak what if she is hitting those children? Why would he be the first. She avoided me today because my son is only new there she brings him to the door every day and she didn't today she knew he would tell me.

I'm legally not allowed to to hit him what's more upsetting is someone else did.

Mfarr3ll · 20-04-2016 07:36PM

Kevin Irving wrote: »

Let's be honest, things aren't as black and white as some people shouting 'assault' might imagine them to be, and a naughty step isn't always going to be an effective deterrent.

Is it possible for a three year old to accurately and repeatably describe the force at which he was hit? Was there a mark left? Was this while the kids were fighting, or deliberately afterwards as a punishment?

It was afterwards and she put him outside on the stairs afterwards.

I asked him did it hurt he said yes I asked him did he cry he said no because everyone was looking at him

nhunter100 · 20-04-2016 07:38PM

pajero12 wrote:

He never said that? People are talking about contacting the gards over a slap on the bum, While the teacher was wrong, That's a complete overreaction.

Regardless of where on the body the slap was delivered, it's still assault. The law exists to protect children from physical assault by an adult in a position of authority. I don't see any over action if the teacher broke the law.

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy · 20-04-2016 07:40PM

God be with the days when a parent took the teacher's side, no matter what. If my oul lad heard I'd been slapped by the teacher, he'd assume I'd deserved it, and only remark that it probably wasn't hard enough.

nhunter100 · 20-04-2016 07:42PM

Sasha Raspy Globe wrote:

A better course of action would be to talk to the owner and file an official complaint. Then get the owner to deal with the issue and provide a solution. If there is no solution,or its unsatisfactory then take it further.

chillin117 wrote:

Bit OTT !

It's illegal to assault someone how is it ott to report it?

nhunter100 · 20-04-2016 07:44PM

So when is assault not assault? No adult who thinks it's ok to physically chastise regardless of force used against a child should be allowed to continue in a position where they have access to children.

Slap from preschool teacher

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