School Administrator Accused of Taping Student’s Mouth

Posted by sandymaple on October 27th, 2009 at 1:11 pm

duct tape sm250 School Administrator Accused of Taping Students MouthFrom warnings all the way to expulsion, school teachers and administrators have many tools at their disposal when it comes to disciplining unruly students.   But as an employee at Palmer Elementary School in Denver has learned, none of these acceptable means of discipline involve duct tape.

On Monday, 6-year-old Joshua was sent to the Principal’s office after becoming disruptive in his first-grade classroom.  While waiting for Principal Elizabeth Trujillo to return from lunch, the boy managed to get on the bad side of her secretary, 45-year-old Jennifer Carter.  According to police, Carter used duct tape to bind the boy’s wrists and cover his mouth.

When Principal Trujillo returned to her office and found Joshua bound and gagged, she ordered the tape removed and apologized to boy.  It isn’t clear who alerted the police to the incident, but the principal did send a note home to parents promising to cooperate with the Denver police in their investigation.  According to Ashely Tenner, Joshua’s mother, Principal Trujillo is acting as a witness in the case.

Carter was arrested on charges of misdemeanor child abuse and false imprisonment and Denver Public Schools issued a statement promising to take quick action to have her terminated.  But regardless of what happens to this poor excuse for a school employee, Joshua’s mother says they are moving on. Her son has not returned to Palmer Elementary and will be enrolled in a new school.

Image: Houseofsims/Flickr

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2 Comments

In my experience, ironically, school secretaries aren’t known for their fondness for and ability to work with children.

Larissa commented on Oct 27 09 at 3:26 pm

My kindergarten teacher taped two boys’ mouths shut with masking tape because they wouldn’t be quiet during show and tell. Of course, they could still hum, so they continued to make plenty of hilarious noise that way. At the time, it totally made sense to me that she did that, but looking back (and after becoming a teacher and parent myself), I am absolutely in shock that someone thought that was an ok idea. Shocked. And this is not the first time I’ve been reminded of that kindergarten taping experience.

Sara commented on Oct 27 09 at 4:32 pm

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