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Health & Fitness

VIDEO: The End of Middletown's 'Scream Rooms'

Watch Friday's entire Middletown Board of Education press conference on "time-out" rooms and then read a few of my thoughts.

In this video you get a chance to watch the entire press conference regarding the . You also get to see Apryl Dudley, president of the ’s PTA make comments at the end.

I feel that this is something you always don't get to see in our media. You get 5-second clips on the major news stations. In this video, you get to see the majority of the event unfold, along with my editing touches.

Though this is a good step, it's not the end of this problem. If you have ever had to deal with a child that is completely uncontrollable, then you may understand why someone who has not had the training to cope with this situation would degrade themselves, the school in which they serve, and the children they teach as to place such child in a cell and hold the handle in fear.

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The fear is not understanding what to do in this situation. The fear is not knowing how to cope.

Clearly there needs some additional training for all our teachers in how to handle students with behavioral disorders.

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From this website, I will quote some characteristics of a behavioral disorder among children and adolescents.

  • Initiation of aggressive behavior and reacting aggressively toward others.
  • A display of bullying, threatening or intimidating behavior.
  • Being physically abusive of others.
  • Deliberate destruction of other's property.
  • Showing little empathy and concern for the feelings, wishes and well-being of others.
  • Showing callous behavior toward others and lack of feelings of guilt or remorse.
  • They may readily inform on their companions and tend to blame others for their own misdeeds.

Now if you read Apryl Dudley's complaint about "scream rooms," you will see many similarities.

Clearly we need professionals that are trained in dealing with these disorders. We can't just ignore the problems by putting them in a room and shutting the door.

Where is the school counselor? Isn't this his or her role?

Farm Hill Principal Pat Girard said, "The only time that a child is prevented from leaving is "sometimes when we have child bolters," a student who would otherwise run out of the school, endangering themself.    

If your child is attempting to go AWOL, then those are serious issue that need to be addressed.

I am thankful that light has been brought upon this issue. I wish the administration success in correcting this matter.

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