LITTLE ROCK, Ark.- A Little Rock mother is distraught after her 8-year-old had her braid ripped off her head.
“It hurts then you’re also angry at yourself because you’re a parent and you’re not there to protect your child,” said Ronetta Clinkscale, Mother.
Ronetta Clinkscale, the mother said a staff member at her daughter’s school is to blame.
“I lifted up her braid to see if her hair was gone and her hair was gone,” said Clinkscale.
The incident happed Wednesday at the Watson Elementary School. It left this mom in tears and her daughter with a painful bald spot.
Clinkscale said the school called her and all she could hear was her daughter uncontrollably crying.
“You have to stop crying so I can understand what you’re saying, ‘ he pulled my hair out!’,” said Clinkscale.
Clinkscale said it all started when her 8-year-old had a temper tantrum at school and it ended in a nightmare.
A nightmare she saw for herself on the school’s surveillance video.
“She’s on the ground and he yanked her up and I guess when he yanked her up he had her hair in the jacket and pulled her hair out from the roots,” said Clinkscale.
Clinkscale said her daughter does have behavior problems sometimes and the school even has a plan in place for situations like this.
“She has ADHD but that does not excuse her behavior but at the same time that does not justify you putting your hands on my daughter to the point where you ripped her hair from her scalp,” said Clinkscale.
Clinkscale now has a third-grader who doesn’t even want to get out of bed.
“My daughter is scared to go to school, I don’t know, I don’t want her in the school I don’t feel safe. I don’t want her because I don’t feel that she will be protected,” said Clinkscale.
We did reach out to the school, they say the staff member is on paid administrative leave pending an investigation.
“You should never put your hands on a child like that, especially a child that does not belong to you,” said Clinkscale.
The family is currently looking for a new school to attend but in the meantime, the little girl will go back to Watson Elementary starting tomorrow.
Here is the full statement released by the school:
Good Afternoon, Watson Parents:
This is Principal Stephanie Walker. Our administration learned late yesterday of an allegation of maltreatment regarding an incident involving a staff member. We take such reports seriously and when made aware , we investigate them promptly and thoroughly, and will take appropriate action. That employee was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. The matter has also been referred to local legal authorities, as well as the Child Abuse Hotline.
Because this is a personnel matter, we will not be able to provide additional comments at this time. Please know that it is the commitment of LRSD to maintain educational environments that are safe and conducive to learning. It takes all of us working together to keep our campuses safe and I appreciate the support you provide Watson, daily. Thank you and have a good day.
