Shelly (not her real name) learned through an email from a concerned parent that her 5-year-old kindergarten daughter was taped to a chair in the classroom to prevent her from getting up so much.
Upon knowing about the incident, she was shocked as she could not believe that a teacher would do something like that.
Shelly later spoke to her five-year-old daughter, who confirmed that her teacher did tape her to the chair as she kept getting up. Hence, the teacher told her that she would tape her so she wouldn't get up anymore, per CBC News.
Impact of the Alleged Incident On the Five-Year-Old
The Toronto Mom states that whenever they tried to bring the incident up, her daughter got visibly agitated and asked to talk about something else, making it more challenging. According to the mom, she could not get the story of the full incident, but the little girl was able to demonstrate what happened.
Shelly tried to sit down, and her daughter placed a piece of green tape across her thighs onto the sides of the chair. Her daughter said that this had happened more than once.
The mother instantly notified the principal of the school and the Children's Aid Society. But according to Shelly, she was frustrated as other parents weren't immediately alerted to what happened.
She said she didn't understand why she was told to be discreet about the incident and not talk about it and asked what if those parents' children experienced what she's experiencing now as a mother.
She's taken her five-year-old to a doctor and psychologist to ensure that the kid has the resources to cope or talk about what happened.
The mother is still not sure how her daughter is handling the situation because of her age.
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Inappropriate and Abusive Behavior of the Teacher
According to Dr. Linda Cameron, a professor emeritus at the University of Toronto's Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) and an early childhood expert, when it comes to kids not wanting to sit still, kindergarten-age students require both activity and playtime to maintain the balance of learning.
Cameron, on the other hand, acknowledged the pressure on teachers and students due to the pandemic and the return to the classroom but asked why the staff didn't know what was happening.
The teacher chose an inappropriate way to discipline the child as she didn't know what to do.
The professor said that she's sure that the five-year-old will remember the incident forever, affecting her emotionally throughout their schooling experience.
The Toronto District School Board revealed that the teacher at Seventh Street Junior School had been put on leave. The board confirmed its investigating allegations that two children were involved in the incident and were both taped to chairs, per ATN News.
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