In Arvada, Colorado, an 11 year-old boy name “Tim” is being treated for ADD. As part of his therapy, his counselor told him to draw pictures when he gets upset, instead of disrupting the classroom. He followed his counselor’s advice, and got arrested. The school, in this case, actually deserves a little credit, in that they exercised some common sense, and decided the kid didn’t mean anything by the violent stick figures he drew. The cops, however, determined that a more aggressive stance was required:
The school was aware that the boy was in treatment, determined he was not a threat, notified his parents and sent him back to
class.His mother, “Jane” was shocked when Arvada Police showed up at their home later that night.
She says she told her son to cooperate and tell the truth, but was horrified when they told her they were arresting him and then handcuffed him and hauled him away in a patrol car. His mother says she begged police to let her drive her son to the police department and to let her stay with him through the booking process but they refused.
They put him in a cell, took his mug shot and fingerprinted him. He says he thought he was going to jail and would never be able to go home again. [...]
At first school officials did not want to press charges, but changed their mind when police called them later that night. A juvenile assessment report shows he’s never been in legal trouble before and is at low risk to reoffend. [...]
[H]is parents say it has cost them thousands of dollars so far.
What the hell is wrong with these people? How, in any situation at all where common sense is employed, could cuffing and fingerprinting an 11 year-old be the proper response to drawing some stick figures, especially when an authority figure asked him to do it? Normally, I think too many people file lawsuits in this country over stuff that could be worked out some other way. In this case, though, some lawyer who wants to make a name for himself needs to take up this case for the boy and his parents, and sue the hell out of the police and the school district – not for money, necessarily (except to recoup the money they’ve had to spend), but to send a message.
Read more at Reason and KDVR.com
