'Trauma at its worst': Parents protest after Texas school first graders allegedly force girl, 6, to perform sex act
If you or anyone you know suspects child abuse, you are urged to immediately call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org.
PLAINVIEW, TEXAS: A 6-year-old first-grade student of Plainview South Elementary School was allegedly pressured to perform a sex act on her classmate amid the presence of a teacher in the classroom. The disturbing incident sparked major outrage, prompting parents to protest outside the administrative office of the Plainview Independent School District (ISD) on Monday, May 1. Protesting parents reportedly learned that the incident took place on April 19 after the school district called the parents of the 6-year-old victim.
The girl reportedly opened up about the situation to her family after the call, Fox News reported. Protestors demanded answers from authorities and the crowd increased to as many as 30 people throughout the day, the Plainview Herald reported. “A 6-year-old was exposed to things that even adults would have a hard time overcoming,” a protesting parent of another student told the publication. “This is trauma at its worst, and it is a trickle-down effect because it affects everyone around them,” they added.
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‘Abuse has been happening for a week and a half’
Heather Gonzales, an older cousin of the 6-year-old victim, told KCBD that the latter’s family noticed a sudden change in her behavior in the wake of the incident. She said the child also showed indications of distress and complained about a stomach ache. The girl eventually revealed that a boy exposed himself to her in the school lunch line before pulling her under a desk and pressuring her to perform a sex act. Meanwhile, another student recorded the incident with a district-issued iPad.
Gonzales also revealed that the video showed her cousin trying her best to fight back. “She said she was hitting him with the poetry book,” Gonzales noted. The girl reportedly said she did not stop “until they let me go.” Gonzales alleged that the school district has failed to provide adequate answers related to the incident. “Everything was ‘no comment, I cannot tell you, no comment,’” she said.
“So, you mean to tell me abuse has been happening for a week and a half and these kids are still at the same desk? My cousin is still at a desk with all boys, having to see her abusers every day?” Gonzales asked. The students have reportedly been moved to separate classrooms at present.
‘Nothing is being done about it’
Several parents spoke to the Plainview Herald during the protest outside the school district’s administrative office. They claimed that there have been several disturbing incidents involving students at the school. “There have been multiple moms coming out about stuff that has been happening all year and nothing is being done about it,” one parent told the outlet. “It’s hit its peak and that’s why we’re here today, to get answers,” they added.
“My daughter comes home with bruises and rashes if she doesn't participate in these little boys’ sick games,” another parent complained at the protest. “They will punch her, give her Indian burns, they'll call her names and cuss at her,” they shared. “You can’t have your kids in a classroom like that,” one parent stated.
“You’re worried about the education they are receiving and what they are being exposed to,” they continued. “A lot of parents have parental controls on what their kid is able to watch and see at this age, and we do all of that just for them to go to school and be exposed to stuff they should’ve never seen,” the parent further added.
‘They should be booked as child molesters’
The incident at Plainview South Elementary School also sparked major backlash on social media. “This is disturbing on so many levels. Children emulate what they see on TV, social media platforms, in their video games, and the attitudes of those around them. Parents can’t blame the school for attitudes likely picked up in the 19 or so hours a day & weekends not in school,” one user tweeted. “They should be booked as child molesters. And don’t give me the spin that they are just a children! If they old enough going for sex aliment surgery than they adult enough to face the consequences,” another added.
“Some teachers and administrators at that school need to be fired. Some kids at that school need to be removed. Parents should not stop until changes are made,” a third user wrote. “Where was the adult supervision?” another asked. One said, “Parents and teacher need to be arrested and the students involved need to be taken by CPS and put in therapy” while another added, “This is sick! And they wonder why parents and others want certain books banned!”
This is disturbing on so many levels. Children emulate what they see on TV, social media platforms, in their video games, and the attitudes of those around them. Parents can’t blame the school for attitudes likely picked up in the 19 or so hours a day & weekends not in school.
— Loretta🇨🇦Salet🇺🇦 (@Lori_NiteOwl) May 5, 2023
They should be booked as child molestors. And don’t give me the spin that they are just a children! If they old enough going for sex aliment surgery than they adult enough to face the consequences.
— Jarek (@Jarek46649828) May 5, 2023
Some teachers and administrators at that school need to be fired. Some kids at that school need to be removed. Parents should not stop until changes are made.
— Flyover2 (@Flyover215) May 6, 2023
Parents and teacher need to be arrested and the students involved need to be taken by CPS and put in therapy
— Ghost (@GhostOfDc) May 6, 2023
This is sick! And they wonder why parents and others want certain books banned!
— Thomas Mitchell (@TMitch8988) May 5, 2023
‘The school system must be very careful’
The Plainview South Elementary School reportedly made a report and contacted Texas Child Protective Services (CPS) when school officials discovered the disturbing video of the incident a day after its occurrence, Plainview ISD Superintendent HT Sanchez told KCBD. He said a state investigator came to Plainview the following week and has been working with local law enforcement authorities to investigate the case.
“He had asked that we hold confidentiality because he wanted to be sure that he was able to get the full story from each of the students, the minors, that were involved,” Sanchez told the outlet. “All of the steps that we’re required to take, we took,” he added. The school district reportedly released an extensive statement explaining that “the school system must be very careful in the information it provides” due to the involvement of minors, as per the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.
The statement also mentioned assistant superintendent Yesinia Pardo and South Elementary principal Jennifer Hughey “have visited with the parents/guardians of families involved in a recent incident at South Elementary that is under Child Protective Services and law enforcement investigation,” alongside Sanchez. It also revealed that the incident “occurred away from the full vision of the teacher” while she was working with other students. The teacher noticed that one of the iPads belonging to her students was locked with a password when she collected the devices the next day.
She then took the iPad to the campus administrator and “inappropriate content was discovered” on the device after it was unlocked by a tech from the technology department, the district shared. The teacher involved has since been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, Fox News Digital reported. “CPS is continuing its investigation, and we continue to cooperate with CPS and law enforcement, by their request we are not able to comment any further than we have shared,” a spokesperson for Plainview ISD told the publication.
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