Video: Students Forced to Yellow Caution Tape

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ABERDEEN, Miss. (WCBI) – The parents of two kindergarten students in the Aberdeen School District say their children’s teachers went too far in imposing a punishment for a dress code violation.

Vonsha Ewing whose daughter was suspended says, “My mouth was wide open. I was like for real? Are you serious? These are babies, you are telling me the teacher or superintendent or who ever wrapped this child up with yellow tape.”

Vonsha Ewing was appalled to see her 6 year old daughter getting off the school bus Thursday afternoon with caution taped wrapped around her waist. Her teacher at Aberdeen Elementary had apparently put it on after telling the little girl she was violating the school’s dress code by not wearing a belt. Ewing admits she forgot her daughter’s belt Thursday morning but says what the teachers used as an alternative option is unacceptable. And the punishment went a step farther. Her kindergartner was also suspended for one day.

“My thing is they don’t know what’s going on but the faculty does. They know what the yellow tape is for. It’s not only embarrassing for my child it’s embarrassing for me.”

This wasn’t the first time Ewing’s daughter had violated the decoders and she admits she was warned before but was never told that caution tape was in the scenerio and she wasn’t the only parent who was shocked about how Aberdeen Elementary School teachers  handled the situation.

Parent Courtney McMillin says, “I don’t think that’s right to put caution tape around them. My child said mama they were talking about me because I had that big yellow tape around me.”

McMillins daughter also had yellow tape wrapped around her waist, but wasn’t suspended because it was a first time offense. McMillins says the teacher told if her the little girl violates dress code again she would be sent home on a three day suspension.

WCBI News was able to sit down with Conservator Bob Strebeck and he said at no place in the policy handbook does it say caution tape would be used as a belt. He said the situation is under control and it wouldn’t happen again.

“That’s never going to happen again. I’ve taken steps to ensure that it doesn’t happen again and I think we can move forward and do what’s best for the kids and that’s educate them.”

And that is exactly what Strebeck and his staff plan to do. He says, policies and procedures are put in place for a reason and that students and their parents need to follow them.

The 6 year old suspended will be allowed to go back to school on Monday. But because the actions of the teachers is a employees matter the punishments could not be discussed.