TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — Two teachers from a head start program are now on suspension after the program says they mistakenly released a three-year-old girl, to a daycare that was not authorized to take care of the girl.
Clarisa Williams is nine months pregnant, but it’s her three-year-old daughter, a student at Frost Head Start, that has her concerned.
PRESCHOOLER MISTAKENLY RELEASED FROM HEAD START
CURRENT EVENT REFLECTION
ASSIGNMENT #1
The news event relates to the lecture on Negligent Supervision because the teachers failed to exercise reasonable care towards the three-year-old child, therefore a harm was caused by their carelessness. It was the teachers’ legal obligation (DUTY) to know who the child can and cannot be released to. The teachers breached their duty (BREACH) by releasing the young child, in their care, to the wrong daycare. This incident could have been prevented (CAUSATION) if the teachers had followed their center’s policy in being aware of who is or is not allowed to pick up the child whether it’s a daycare, parent or guardian. The teachers should have kept track of that through their “child plus system” or some other way. The teachers could have prevented the incident, which caused the child being released to the wrong daycare (DAMAGE).
This news event also reminded me of an incident that could have taken place at the center I used to work at. As lead teacher, it was my obligation to close the center after everybody left. My students and I were outside in the yard along with the other classrooms when a strange lady walked over to one of my students, grabbed her hand and wanted to walk out with her. I immediately approached the lady and asked who she was and that I did not recognize her. She was quick to say that “Sofia’s” mother had asked her to pick her up that day because she was running late. I asked the lady if she would kindly give me her photo ID (license) and I would do a quick check in my release folder. She was hesitant at first, but I explained to her our center’s policy in releasing children and that the only way that I can let her take the child is if she was on the release paper, which she was not. I told her that her name was not on the paper and she began arguing with me and insisting that I was mistaken and that she had to take the child. She firmly grabbed the child’s hand and refused to let her go and began walking towards the gate. I grabbed the child’s other hand and pulled her towards me. I asked her again who she was there to pick up and she said “Sofia”. I asked her if she could tell me the child’s last name and she gave me a last name that was not “Sofia’s.” I told her that she had the wrong child and that the “Sofia” she came to pick up was in the other classroom. She apologized for wanting to take the wrong child and left. If I was careless and did not take the time to check the release folder, then this person could have walked out with the “Sofia” in my classroom. When I checked the folder, I checked my “Sofia’s” file and did not see this person’s name, but when she gave me the wrong last name, I realized her mistake and pointed her in the right direction.