[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by AXOmom

AOII Angel - I apologize if it sounded in like I felt or believed that humiliation was the only issue in my student's experience. It certainly wasn't. My mention of this event was not meant in anyway to imply otherwise. I just wanted to make clear that the laptop situation in no way compares to this which, as you quite correctly pointed out, was indeed a crime and abusive in addition to being humiliating.

This girl was one of my students that I taught in juvenile corrections. It was one in a long series of events her father had perpetrated. In this case, the incident had long since been reported, he had been dealt with (don't remember how) and this was in her file so there was nothing for me to report. I am very aware of my professional duty and moral obligation as a mandatory reporter. In fact, it was reported, according to her, by one of the migrant farm workers whom he made the offer to.

SWTXBelle, I think the issue I have with your point is that saying he was using a gun to discipline a child implies an action that didn't occur here. The child wasn't present, he didn't threaten her, he didn't suggest the same would happen to her, and she clearly doesn't in anyway seem to fear him or feel threatened by him.

Do I think it was the best way to dispose of a computer? Absolutely not - but your initial statement implies that because he shot up a piece of equipment he owned this somehow implies he is abusive. I'm sorry but I wholeheartedly disagree with that and I guess that is where we'll have to leave it since I doubt we will change each other's viewpoints on the subject.

I just feel strongly (I know this isn't your intent) that it belittles the experiece of children like the young woman I mentioned whose parents do actually threaten them with weapons and who are truly abusive.

Again, maybe working so long with kids who were abused has hardened me, but I don't see this father's actions being even remotely in the same category as what those kids lived through, and I don't think they should be lumped together.

Thanks for addressing that, AXOmom. That really bothered me. You'd be surprised how many mandatory reporters would look at something like that and think, "That's not something I should report." In my 6 years of residency, I saw way to many cases of severe child abuse. I have almost PTSD style flash backs sometimes when someone brings up child abuse. It's really disgusting what humans can do to children.