Father Arrested For Picking His Kids Up From School

[crashhelmet]

A school in Cumberland County, Tennessee implemented a new rule stating that kids who do not take the bus have to wait 30 minutes after school gets out before they can leave. The rule also states that parents have to wait in their cars for the kids to come out. They are not allowed to walk their kids to their cars.

Jim Howe was arrested when he attempted to pick his kids up and walk them home himself.

From The Dirty Caller
Father arrested for picking up his kids from school

I understand the safety concerns they can cite for this rule, but isn't this illegal detention?

And then there's the safety issues created by the long line of cars from other parents waiting for their kids and the kids having to walk into that create traffic.

And of course the Alex Joneses and Glenn Becks of the world are screaming "Police State!!!!!"

[fireheart17]

A school in Cumberland County, Tennessee implemented a new rule stating that kids who do not take the bus have to wait 30 minutes after school gets out before they can leave. The rule also states that parents have to wait in their cars for the kids to come out. They are not allowed to walk their kids to their cars.

yeah that'd be illegal detention alright.

Man, down here, if kids aren't picked up or they don't take the bus, they get sent straight to after-school care and their parents are charged a fee.

[wolfie]

I can (sort of) understand the reasoning for such a rule - in the chaos of school getting out, it would be too easy for the "wrong" person (most likely a parental kidnapping in a custody dispute) to take off with a kid. By having the "car" kids go first, and requiring the parent stay in the car, you get a large number of kids out of the way (and presumably the kid is going to recognize the right car, rather than being dragged to the wrong one). Once the crowd is thinned out, the authorities have a better chance of making sure a kid only walks off with the right person.

Of course, it could be implemented MUCH better. Clearly, they have school personnel present at the pickup point. Why not have a list of the kids, with each entry having a list of who is allowed to pick them up? Parents come to the pickup point, state who they are picking up, and show ID. School personnel verify that this person is allowed to pick up this kid/these kids, call to the kids "David Jones, your father is here", kids come forward, and parent leaves with kid(s).

To address the traffic issue, have a parking area (even a section of curb) dedicated to pickups, with a camera monitoring it. If you're parked outside the designated area, you WILL be turned away. Good opportunity for the police to issue tickets for obstructing traffic.

[HYHYBT]

I understand the safety concerns they can cite for this rule

I don't see any which this rule could rationally be expected to solve.

First off, many children walk to and from school by themselves. It's at least somewhat unusual for a parent to pick them up on foot. Why are the walkers being made to wait? If it's for traffic, they've failed miserably, because they're apparently making parents picking kids up in cars wait too. And it can't be to make sure they go with the right people, because again, those leaving by themselves aren't leaving with *anybody.* And obviously the school isn't going to follow them all all the way home to make sure they don't meet anyone on the way.

At absolute best, this rule is a waste of everyone's time for no benefit at all.

[Aethian]

One of my friends had their Dad walk them home from school but that was the only time he got to see them except for his day offs.

The school is being moronic in how they have this rule. There is no reason why the kid needs to wait a half hour, specially if they don't take the bus in the first place.

What about the parents who plan a doctors appointment? Do they have to wait for the school to send then from class too?

[Greenday]

Something about this story rubs me the wrong way. I feel like this isn't the first confrontation he's had with the police over this.

[Titi]

I don't see any which this rule could rationally be expected to solve.

First off, many children walk to and from school by themselves. It's at least somewhat unusual for a parent to pick them up on foot. Why are the walkers being made to wait? If it's for traffic, they've failed miserably, because they're apparently making parents picking kids up in cars wait too. And it can't be to make sure they go with the right people, because again, those leaving by themselves aren't leaving with *anybody.* And obviously the school isn't going to follow them all all the way home to make sure they don't meet anyone on the way.

At absolute best, this rule is a waste of everyone's time for no benefit at all.

I agree with you in one aspect, it is ridiculous to have the parents wait in the car. I recently moved and the school my daughter goes to whether or not you are show up in a car or you walked to picked your child up (Which I have found I am not the only one.) the teacher has to make eye contact with you before they allow the child to leave. The walkers leave after 10 minutes so that the traffic is less.

[Hyena Dandy]

Making eye contact makes way more sense, in the whole "Help stop evil pedophile criminals" thing. 'Cause then they'll be able to identify you if anyone DOES ask.

[Kelmon]

I hope the father sues the school, and successfully, to do away with such a ridiculous rule.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Yeah, cuz this is stupid and totally ignoring the established fact that stranger abductions are extremely rare, and in actual fact, most children are abused by their families or someone they know.

[Kelmon]

I'd love to see some statistics on how many children are actually abducted by strangers from schools each year - and if there has been any change since - say - the 50s or so.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Dunno what the percentage of children abducted from school is, but stranger abductions are very rare indeed.

http://news.discovery.com/human/psyc...are-130514.htm

Only a tiny minority of kidnapped children are taken by strangers. Between 1990 and 1995 the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children handled only 515 stranger abductions, 3.1 percent of its caseload. A 2000 report by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Programs reported that more than 3/4 of kidnappings were committed by family members or acquaintances of the child. The study also found that children abducted by strangers were harmed less frequently than those taken by acquaintances.

I would think that a school would be a very unlikely place for a stranger abduction to take place, what with all the potential witnesses around.

[Greenday]

I would think that a school would be a very unlikely place for a stranger abduction to take place, what with all the potential witnesses around.

Yes and no. With so many people, it's tough to spot one incident in a large crowd, especially if the kid goes seemingly willingly.

[violiav]

It does sound like a lawsuit waiting to happen. Assuming the dad is the custodial parent they're preventing him from collect a child that he has a legal right and obligation to? What if he was collecting the kid for an appointment?

As for his walking, I actually have known a couple people that walk their kids to and from school. They've usually lived within walking distance of the school (a block or two). One of my friends walks her kids because they live pretty close and she's a stay at home mom, so why not? Also the traffic is pretty hairy in that area not only because of all schools, but there are a lot of college students that live over there.

[crashhelmet]

Something about this story rubs me the wrong way. I feel like this isn't the first confrontation he's had with the police over this.

I had the same impression when I saw the video. I'm thinking he tried to do this before and may have gotten angry with them. So this time, he has his fiance record it while he does his best to remain calm.

The Deputy says something along the lines of "I'm not going to go through this with you again today" a time or two in the video.