• Violation

  R 400.8140 · R 400.8140 Discipline. (2) All of the following means of punishment are prohibited: (a) Hitting, spanking, shaking, biting, pinching, or inflicting other forms of corporal punishment. 1

  On Monday, 5/24/2021, I received an online complaint that a child was popped on the nose by a child care staff member at John Evans Montessori. The complaint also said that the principal is refusing to investigate. On Tuesday, 05/25/2021, I contacted the Child A's Mother, (two-year-old female) to get information regarding the allegations. After introducing myself and stating the nature of my phone call, I asked the her A to tell me what happened on the day of the incident. Child A's Mother said Child A began at John Evans Montessori at 1 year old. She proceeded to tell me that on Friday, 05/14/2021, she picked up her child from the child care center. After asking Child A how her day was, she began to cry. Child A reported, "I cried today." Child A's Mother asked, "Why were you crying?" Child A reported, "I cried because Child Care Staff Member 1 (CCSM1) popped me on my nose because I dumped my milk." Child A's Mother called the Child A's Father in the room to demonstrate how CCSM1 popped her nose. The mother said on Monday, 05/17/2021, she and her husband called Ms. Sherita Adams, school principal/program director. After reporting the incident, Child A's Mother said Ms. Adams told her she could not believe CCSM1 would do anything like that. She said Ms. Adams told her she would investigate the situation and get back to her. Child A's Mother was very upset because she felt like Ms. Adams defended CCSM1. I told Child A's Mother that I would investigate the situation. On Tuesday, 05/25/2021, at 12:35pm, I arrived at John Evans Montessori Academy to conduct an interview to complete the investigation. I began my investigation by introducing myself to Sherita Adams, school principal/program director. I explained that I was there because I received a complaint that a Child Care Staff Member popped a child on her nose because the child spilled her milk. I asked Ms. Adams if she was aware of the incident. Ms. Adams said she was aware of the incident that led to the allegations. I asked Ms. Adams to please share with me exactly what she became aware of. Ms. Adams said on Monday, 05/17/2021 she received a telephone call from Child A's Father stating that CCSM 1 popped Child A on the nose for spilling her milk. Ms. Adams asked Child A's Father when the incident occurred. The father told Ms. Adams it happened Friday, 05/14/2021. Ms. Adams said she told Child A's Father, that it was difficult to believe the allegations because she was in the classroom for most of the day on 05/14/2021 due to a staff call off. In addition to that, the behavior did not sound like something CCSM 1 would do. Ms. Adams said the father asked her if there were cameras in the building. Ms. Adams said she told the father that there were cameras, however, they were not working. Child A's Father told Ms. Adams that he worked in Information Technology and could fix the cameras. Ms. Adams told Child A's Father that she would contact the company who installed them. She ended the meeting by ensuring Child A's Father that she would investigate the situation. I asked Ms. Adams if she had spoken to CCSM1. She said, "yes." On 05/18/2021, she said she called CCSM1 in the office to speak with her. She informed CCSM1 of 4 the allegations reported by Child A's Father. Ms. Adams said CCSM1 was surprised by the allegations and began to cry. She said CCSM 1 was upset by the allegations and denied disciplining Child A by touching her in any manner. I asked Ms. Adams for attendance sheets for the week of 05/10/2021 to see what other staff worked in the toddler classroom on 05/14/2021. The attendance sheet from the week of 05/10/2021 placed Child Care Staff Member 2 (CCSM2) at work in the Toddler classroom on 05/14/2021. I then asked to see CCSM2. On Tuesday, May 25/2021, I interviewed CCSM2. I asked her if she was aware that Child A reported that she was popped on the nose by CCSM1. CCSM2 said she was aware of the allegations. I asked her to recall the sequence of events on 05/14/2021

Disposition: No violation found

A child care staff member is accused of popping a child on her nose because she spilled her milk. The principal was made aware of the incident and refuse to investigate.

Disposition: Substantiated