Kaua'i educator gets year in jail for abuse (may keep job)

[KamaAina]

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2005/Apr/27/ln/ln05p.html

LIHU'E, Kaua'i — Minutes after being sentenced to a year in jail for brutally beating her adopted son, Kaua'i charter school administrator Hedy Sullivan stood outside the Lihu'e courthouse, praying and singing with a crowd of parents and children....

Sullivan, who must report to jail Friday, was allowed to keep her job after pleading guilty to two counts of felony assault, and there are no rules to prevent her from returning to the school once she is released.

A statement by the boy introduced during yesterday's sentencing described a pattern of abuse, including being hit on the head with a metal spoon and being burned with scalding water. The child, who was 11 when taken from Sullivan's home, also said he was threatened with having his tongue cut off with scissors....

Psychologist Robert Horne, who treated Sullivan during 28 one-hour sessions starting last year, said "her loss of temper and control is something that every parent has experienced to some extent."

:puke: :puke: :puke:
:grr: :grr: :grr:

So much for charter schools as the humane face of repuke edumacation reform*!

edit: headline, bolding

[RobertSeattle]

1. Well at least she ain't some ho mo sex you all

:evilgrin:

[Maat]

2. I wish that they would have said ..

"... for beating her son ..."

I adopted my daughter. She came to me a special way. I'm her REAL mom; she is my REAL daughter. She has been my daughter for the majority of her life, and knows no other family.

What is the author implying? Adoptive parents aren't as good? Adoptive parents aren't as real? Adoptive parents don't really love their kids, and are more prone to be violent against them?

It is very offensive to me - and takes away my focus from the main point of the article.

The local paper does not refer to the fact that a child was adopted unless it is critical to the story - and I respect them for that.

As a social worker, I dealt with many physical beatings; only one of the parents had adopted her child. Biological parents make mistakes as well, if anyone has forgotten.

Sorry for the rant.

[opihimoimoi]

3. She gets to keep her JOB??? Can she work while in prison via written

correspondence? Can she get weekends off?

Does she get a computer?

Does she have to work at hard labor?

What does a prisoner do?

Come, we go look for mangos

[KamaAina]

4. No, but they can rehire her after she serves her hard time

If it wants, the board of Kula Aupuni Niihau A Kahelelani Aloha could rehire Sullivan after she is out of jail, according to Shon.

In the case of charter schools, "the local board is the decision maker and employer" and can set its own employment standards, he said.

But... but... but.. what about the children?? Oh, right, this is a repuke-favored reform*, so it must be good for the keiki, right? :sarcasm:

[KamaAina]

5. In Hawai'i we have our own form of traditional adoption

called hanai. It is especially prevalent in rural areas such as the one where this occurred. It is possible that the article means to refer to this, but that hanai has not yet gained currency as a newspaper word.

In general, better journalistic practice might be to say, on first reference, "Her son, who is adopted...", followed by "her son" throughout, rather than the constant drone of "adopted son... adopted son...".

[Maat]

6. Yep, that would be better.

Out here in SoCal, they have elected not to mention the adoption at all if the article is not specifically about adoption. And I agree with that.

Hanai - thanks, that concept is interesting.

When I was a social worker, I noticed a great deal of inequity as to when someone was charged with the felony and when they weren't. In the vast majority of cases, informal family maintenance (intervention/monitoring) was quite sufficient to correct the behavior.

Many times, whether or not there is a criminal charge depends on the severity of the injuries, the likelihood of the parents being able to avail themselves of parenting education, how many incidents there have been, and whether or not the parent regrets the incident.

Many times, even if there is a criminal charge, the penalty involves parenting class, and working with social services.

It was my experience that the vast majority of cases involved an isolated incident, the injuries were relatively minor (welts on the back), and in conjunction with parenting education, we never saw it happen again (even in view of monthly contact by the Department with the child for several months).

So, I think I need to know more about this case. But the fact that the police chose to charge her with a felony (even if I knew no other facts) does not bode well (because most police officers are very reluctant to go that far unless the situation was/is dire).

On edit:
I calmly reread the article. She's already been convicted; a jury heard the evidence. It was apparently established beyond a reasonable doubt that she threw scalding water at the kid (wow, what a rage that must have been!). It was a 'brutal beating.' Sad, what a tragedy. Now, the child will suffer several times over - Child will bear physical and mental scars from the torture/injuries; Child will also suffer from being taken from the mother Child has known for the majority of his life; Child will forever wonder how circumstances could have been different. What a tragedy!

[MADem]

8. Rant is completely justified, parenthood is love, not genetic code

That is the most appalling news item I have read in some time. Who could support this person? She should be tied to the tail of a cow and shit to death!

[Maat]

9. To go up on felony counts, it goes to show the seriousness.

Sad.

[Megahurtz]

7. After being sentenced for child abuse

she gets to go back to working at the school where there are more kids???

I've never heard of such a thing.:wtf:

I know if that happened in California she would not be allowed to work around kids again.