Parent questions Boardman school board about her son's discipline

BOARDMAN — A mother of a Market Street Elementary student addressed the school board about what she felt was inappropriate punishment given to her 7-year-old son.

Heidi Thompson wrote the board a letter saying her son, a first-grader at Market Street Elementary, was sent to a conference room off the school office as punishment for twisting a spoon wrapper in another students’ face.

Her son remained in the conference room without any learning materials, such as a book, for about five hours until Thompson arrived at the school at 1 p.m. for his school picnic June 8, the last day of school, Thompson said.

“The thing that I find the most irritating is there was an announcement made that morning that said if anyone caught misbehaving they would be sent home,” Thompson said in an interview with The Vindicator.

“I’m not against discipline. My thing was being appropriate with it and being fair and consistent,” she continued, saying the parents of other children who misbehaved were notified and could pick their children up early.

For the complete story, read Tuesday's Vindicator and Vindy.com