"Do you understand me?" Florida school principal Melissa Carter questions a six-year-old before asking the child to put the hands down and butt up. The principal then goes on to spank the child with a paddle.
"This is serious. Now finally you understand what's going on. Now don't do it again. And sit down. You better tell your mamma sorry and you better not treat her like that either," the principal's cautionary words accompanied by a spanking evoke the 'desired' response from the little one. Who, while still sobbing from the pain and humiliation can be clearly heard saying 'sorry mommy'.
Principal did not cause "great bodily harm"
A week after the video, recorded by the mother, surfaced, it had sent shock waves down the social media forcing an investigation against the Central Elementary School Principal Melissa Carter. However, the State Attorney's office found that the principal while using a paddle to spank the child did not cause, "great bodily harm," or amount to "child abuse."
The Office of the State Attorney's office released a memo on Friday, which questioned the child's mother's credibility. Principal Carter told authorities that the mother said her daughter was "damaging things at home but she was afraid to discipline by spanking because the six-year-old threatened to call the police." Corporal punishment is legal in 19 states in the US, which includes Florida as well.
What happened?
The six-year-old girl had allegedly damaged a computer screen and after the incident, the mother said in an interview to Wink News, "The hatred with which she hit my daughter. I mean, it was a hatred that really, I've never hit my daughter like she hit her...I sacrificed my daughter so all the parents can realize what's happening in this school." She also said that at no time did she give permission for her child to be paddled but was too astounded to intervene.
Spanking is not where the threat, humiliation and warning conclude. Principal Carter continues, "Is this gonna happen again? You're gonna be good at home? Are you going to respect your mom? Because I'm going to tell you what. If your mom wants to come up to the school and spank you and we can watch, that's going to happen. Do you understand me? You better treating your mom right and you better start behaving and taking care of stuff. You don't keep messing up things. I'm so disappointed in you. Next time you come to the office, this is going to happen again. Now calm down."
Meanwhile, the netizens are still fuming
Many angry social media users are still debating the incident to hold the mother responsible and guilty. She was there, but instead of preventing the incident, she chose to film it. "These people think, they are building good character in this child, but the fundamental message anyone can get out of this treatment is: when you fail dealing with problems, use violence and pain. I don't think these ladies would hit a misbehaving pet, but they assault a child," posted a shocked user.
