MIAMI (WSVN) - A mother is outraged after, she said, a pre-kindergarten teacher crossed the line when she taped her 5-year-old daughter’s mouth while in class.
Lationa Sterling said the incident happened at Lorah Park Elementary School in Miami.
“It bothers me because that’s my child,” said Sterling.
The mother said the teacher did it to discipline and quiet the child.
“You don’t deserve to do that. You’re trying to shut [her] up,” she said.
The news was first told to Treasure’s godmother, Natasha Clay, by her daughter, Janiya, who is in the same classroom as Treasure and watched the incident unfold.
“She got up, she pulled the drawer, pulled the tape out of the drawer, she tore the tape and put it over her mouth.” explained Clay of her daughter’s reenactment of the events. “‘Put tape over Treasure’s mouth, and Treasure was saying ‘mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm.'”
Clay said the incident was very disrespectful to the family.
“That the teacher put tape over her cousin’s mouth and she witnessed it,” said Clay.
The family said the teacher sent Sterling a message apologizing for the incident.
“I apologize 1,000 times. It won’t happen again,” the message reads. “Nor will I play again with them again this way, but it’s because they asked for it.”
The teacher added that the tape wasn’t part of punishment and that she put tape on her own mouth first.
But the apology, the family said, is not accepted.
Other parents weren’t happy to learn about the unusual disciplinary action.
“It’s very scary for the child. Who wants that to happen? No one wants that to happen,” said Alona Rolle.
“That isn’t right,” said a man.
Sterling said she complained to the school this week and filed a report with Miami-Dade Schools Police.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools tells 7News the teacher’s been reassigned.
In a statement to 7News, the school district said:
The employee has been reassigned from the school setting pending the outcome of the investigation into the allegations.
Still, the family said they plan to withdraw both girls from the school.
“Abuse had been done to my goddaughter. That was very abusive for anybody to place tape over her mouth, and knowing when you remove the tape, it’s painful as well,” said Clay.
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