Oh dear... Don't get me started on the lack of ability to discipline in the education system...

Goodness knows that if that had happened when I was in kindergarten, I (1) would have had my little butt busted at school, (2) would have had my butt busted again when I got home, and (3) would have had to apologize to the teachers and asst. principal as publically as my Dad could arrange it. There would most certainly not have been any of this crud about suing the school system or the officers.

Sadly, though, the asst. principal's hands were tied in this sue-happy society. And she certainly handled the situation as best as she could, and I applaud her for it. She went through many tactics that are taught in a classroom management course - used the girl's name, got the other kids out of the room, did not become visibly angry, made the girl aware of consequences, and made the girl aware that her behavior was not acceptable.

When I was watching the video, I paid close attention to the off-camera comments, such as, "she's not touching her" when the kid started swinging at the asst. principal, which definitely supported the visual as the asst. principal merely presented her open palms as a target to keep the blows from her person. However, if those schools had a zero tolerance policy in effect, stiking at a teacher would have been instant expulsion for the rest of the school year.

And even though the cops weren't on camera at the time, it was obvious that seeing them is what suddenly settled the kid down. Personally, I think cuffing her was the right thing to do. Sure, she'd calmed down (because an authority figure that she respected had shown up), but there was no telling if anything would set her off again in an instant.

Sadly, the problem with discipline is schools these days is that there's not much a teacher can do. And the kids know this. So they push things to see what they can get away with. And it doesn't help when the parents enforce the bad behavior and as a consequence make the kids see that those who are trying to keep them under control are the problem.

"Hey, little Susie Sue, you've been paddled for being a severe disruption in class! That's abuse and that's bad. Let's go sue the school system and make some money!"

All I can say is thank goodness the teacher had the camera there that day to show exactly what happened, or else the asst. principal probably would've gotten in trouble with the school board over this incident!