Police: 7-year-old assaults South Bend principal

Tribune Staff Report

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By Beth Boehne

Story Created: May 10, 2008 at 6:02 PM EDT

Story Updated: May 10, 2008 at 6:07 PM EDT

SOUTH BEND — Police were called to Lincoln Primary Center, 1425 E. Calvert St., on Friday morning after a 7-year-old boy assaulted principal Rebecca Bartlett, according to a police report.

Bartlett, 43, was trying to deal with the out-of-control student when he began cursing and kicking her, police said. The child then grabbed her right wrist and twisted it, causing pain and swelling, according to police.

The principal had an ice pack on her wrist but declined medical treatment when she spoke to them, police said.

The Frederick Juvenile Justice Center declined to detain the boy, police said. He was sent home with his father and referred to Madison Center. School personnel said the boy was suspended from school, according to the police report.

Tuesday, May 13 at 10:21 AM TO JOHN wrote ...

Let me guess you are part of the coallision that took all rights away from parents and schools. Therefore parents cant do anything and then people like you blame parents. How ironic. I would love to see you deal with the kids now days when they are hitting and kicking you. You tell people to liten up so maybe everybody with an out of control child should send them to your house.

Monday, May 12 at 1:52 PM Linda wrote ...

The kid wasn't chewing gum John. He was cursing and kicking the principal. Hardly the behavior of a NORMAL child. He needed and deserved a good old fashion spanking and if he were my child he would have got it when he got home. QUIT making excuses for out of control children. The child was wrong period! The pricipal deserves an OSCAR for not turning him over her knee and whipping him.

Monday, May 12 at 1:33 PM Linda wrote ...

Sounds to me like a good old fashion spanking is in order. What kind of idiot hugs a child who misbehaves. I sure would HATE to spend time with your monsters.

Monday, May 12 at 12:02 PM DJ wrote ...

If the schools brought spanking back in and told these kids you cannot do what you want when you want this could be stopped. Important idea if the idiots at Madison Center would quit teaching the kids and telling parents you cannot tell your children what to do, they can make up their own mind this would also help stop the insanity! Sadly, I know what I am talking about, my son was skipping school, so we ended up in the horrid system and this is what the counselor told me! God Bless the parents

Monday, May 12 at 11:04 AM john b wrote ...

hey walkerton ,you sound pretty hard core !!ever see a kid have a bad day ? would you give him 30 lashes for chewin gum ?or maybe just lock em up and throw away the key. lighten up

Monday, May 12 at 10:31 AM Lainey wrote ...

My daughter wrote a heart on the bathroom wall in k-garten and the school threatened to have her arrested for destruction of school property. She was so confused - she thought she was being nice, it was a heart, after all. Things are often being taken to the extreme these days due to legal issues with parents suing the schools, etc. Still, seems like a talk with a counselor or such might have served this little one better. Kids have bad moments-it doesn't mean they're doomed to a criminal life.

Monday, May 12 at 8:54 AM Carl Gauss wrote ...

annete, I was over "tantrums" by the time I was out of diapers. I didn't encounter any classmates who had tantrums until one troubled kid in third grade. Most kids are developing at a normal rate, but some are not... and they, when they grow up, and their parents, will try to talk as if that kind of behavior is normal. Sad.

Monday, May 12 at 6:11 AM mom wrote ...

Dont say kids that dont have dads are bad. I am raisins 2 very respectable children they are 9 and 11. The oldest is a boy, and neither would ever think of defying me. My children even follow my rules when I am not around. They have been made fun of cuse they come home or call me if other children are breaking my rules I have set for them. Yes I do spank. I havent had to spank my children in at least a year now. I am very stricked and I dont bend at all with the rules chores. I my house family.

Monday, May 12 at 4:23 AM Parent wrote ...

A principal can't handle a 7 year old who has a temper tantrum! We need to bring back the disipline we had when I was in school! (BOARD OF EDUCATION) it seened to work back then.......There also was not all these school shootings going on because parents were able to disciple their children without the fear of going to jail! Many kids are out of control because they need a good spanking! Not a beating that would be abuse, just a spanking!

Sunday, May 11 at 9:31 PM Walkerton wrote ...

There must not be much respect for adults taught at his home. He should be expelled NOW. Teachers have enough problems without being worried with being assulted and the students getting away with it. Also, what do you mean the Juvenile Center refused to accept him. The center is tax supported to hold law breakers. He broke the law. Giving him to a parent is useless when there was no disapline at home to start with Maybe a good paddling would be a good start. Quit making excuses, he did wrong

Sunday, May 11 at 8:57 PM Anonymous wrote ...

What is wrong this world today? If you can answer that then you can answer what the difference between this incident last week is from the sam ething happening in the 60's. Forget about how we'd get slapped or grounded or punished in general; WHY do children react this way today? WE are the generation that should havew trained the next one on how to prevent such situations but with so much of it going on it seems WE have failed miseralbly. Ask yourself what are the differences today!

Sunday, May 11 at 7:56 PM vet wrote ...

Does he understand plain English?

Sunday, May 11 at 7:47 PM annette wrote ...

Just the idea that a 7 year olds tantrum can garner this much outrage is the real issue. Calling him a criminal..saying he will be nothing but a criminal..this is NUTS!! I am 43 and the only thing that has changed is the way a childs temper tantrum is handled. Condemn the kid..condemn the parents..call them trash..boy..I bet you all feel good about yourselves tonight..How about maybe the kid needed a nap. Putting this in the news is the real crime. MORONS!!!

Sunday, May 11 at 6:40 PM GR wrote ...

Is there child under any pressure? Sick parent, death, etc. Maybe taking the child and hugging him would of been better then 911.He's only 7.

Sunday, May 11 at 6:39 PM Al wrote ...

My guess is that a police report was filed in this instance so there would be a paper trail should there be more issues for this child in the future. Teachers have to document everything to protect themselves. It's sad, but true. It's not as easy as you think to expel a student these days, even for an assault.There's some South Bend high school teachers out there who've been assaulted FOR REAL and nothing much happened to the student.I heard from a reliable source that one teacher lost teeth!

Sunday, May 11 at 5:27 PM tired wrote ...

Sociopath. This kid will hurt people and ruin lives for years to come until (and unless) he finally slaughters a house full of people. So, HOORAY for the criminal just-a-system! Hey kid, don't worry, you can pretty much do whatever you want and get away with it. A few months, a few years in jail for someone like you is nothing. You'd have to rape and kill 12 girls to be put away forever, and even then it's touch and go. So, live it up, kid! This world was made for you. Party down!

Sunday, May 11 at 3:24 PM old fashioned wrote ...

I raised my kids the old fashioned way. Paddled them when they needed it and used other more "modern" methods of discipline. I agree with "steve on ewing" that the male influence is necessary. My husband divorced and left me with 2 boys to raise alone. My youngest was my problem child. He would skip school so I would take him to school and watch him walk in the front door. Not knowing he would go out the back. It is NOT always the parents fault.

Sunday, May 11 at 2:48 PM vet wrote ...

Time for Change, do you want to be accountable for a child who is being taught that if his or her parent touch them, to call the welfare department and report them? I can say that I am glad my kids are grown. They received a spanking when needed, (I can say they didn't get many!), were taught right from wrong at home, and were taught respect for their elders!

Sunday, May 11 at 12:03 PM Anon wrote ...

I agree a police report should not have been filed, but there is something wrong with this brat that needs to be dealt with. I remember being paddled ONCE by a principal when I was growing up and NEVER behaved so I deserved another again.

Sunday, May 11 at 10:42 AM NovaGal-Monterey wrote ...

There is no excuse for this behavior by a 7 yr. old. It all comes down to the parents. If the discipline is not instilled when their this age, how would the child know right from wrong. It's called good old fashioned discipline at home. That's where kids first learn the proper behavior. If there turns out to be a deeper behavior issue w/the child, I hope they address that. Parents today are afraid to discipline their kids, it's a shame. You all know, in all of our day this would never fly!!

Sunday, May 11 at 10:17 AM This is news???? wrote ...

It's not an assult, it is called a tantrum. Give me a break, a 7 year old, geeeez! Very naughty, yes, future criminal, probably not.

Sunday, May 11 at 7:57 AM Diana wrote ...

A 7 year old assaults an adult?!? Come on! If kids nowadays had the threat of getting paddled, this probably wouldn't have happened! But then again-some teachers take it too far and thats part of the reason why teachers aren't allowed to paddle students anymore.

Sunday, May 11 at 7:45 AM Time for Change wrote ...

When parents are made accountable for their children's behavior and education instead of it resting solely on the teachers and schools, then things will begin to change. Children are starting to be juvenile deliquents at the age of 5 now! Parents just say they are kids. We need a change and parents should have to teach their child how to be decent citizens not mini criminals. This is our future and by the way this 7 yr old is going they will be in jail by 12.

Sunday, May 11 at 7:29 AM JOE FROM MI wrote ...

the kids today know if you put a hand on them you go to jail that is the law i was pushed down by my grandoughtr and crack my ribs but that is ok ther is no respect from this genaration and some day they are going to run the world look at what a mess it is in NOW.I ASK GOD TO HELP US EVERY DAY

Sunday, May 11 at 2:57 AM Pam wrote ...

That is what is wrong with many kids no respect for adults! If parents could spank their kids without fear of going to jail kids would not be as bad as they are nowdays.

Sunday, May 11 at 2:12 AM steve wrote ...

almost perfect Anon. But the kid did become a jerk overnite. That was the nite they figured out he or she could pull the wool over thier parents eyes.

Sunday, May 11 at 2:02 AM steve on ewing wrote ...

most of these kids that get into trouble come from homes that do not have a strong male influence.these kids need & want structure in thier lives. i know i am a step parent who loves his mother's kids very much. these kids that are getting into trouble today are being raised by parents that are dirtbags themselves.god bless that teacher & to hell with that 7year old punk & that punks dirtbag parents

Saturday, May 10 at 10:50 PM MH wrote ...

First,I think the parents should get the paddling for not teaching their child some respect for others. Then the child should get a paddling for acting out. We were paddled at school when I was a kid and that kept most of us in line.

Saturday, May 10 at 10:40 PM "I" is for "I can't stand it anymore!" wrote ...

Yesterdays news had a convict serving a hefty sentance for some hienous crime being charged with spitting on a guard in prison. By the way, the convict had done this or something similar before because he had been sentanced to an addittional 3 years for that attack. They referred to the charge as assult with intent to injure using bodily fluids. On second thought, forget it. This is so stupid I have just got to move on. Good luck to the principal. I hope she'll be okay.

Saturday, May 10 at 10:08 PM pwned wrote ...

by a 7 year old! HAHAHAHAHA! Oh, and 'me,' at this rate, this kid's future will be spent as a ward of the state.

Saturday, May 10 at 9:53 PM one swift smack wrote ...

to his behind could have prevented this. But NO our governmnet / schools won't allow discipline .

Saturday, May 10 at 8:21 PM Dash wrote ...

It's time for teacher's to go back to a good old fashion paddling....without the parents trying to sue. Kids nowadays are not getting any structure at home. So they may as well get the butt whipping they need at school.

Saturday, May 10 at 8:11 PM me wrote ...

This is our future!

Saturday, May 10 at 7:24 PM Anon wrote ...

There is no way a 7 year old would EVER get away with that crap to me. The problem if the teachers are afraid of discipline because of the "my baby would never do that" type of thinking of many parents. This kid didn't get to be a jerk over night.

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