Teacher punches student, 8, over broken crayon

[Inward Visionary]

From here: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=82050


Third-grader Ronald Brazzel, a student at Sunland Elementary School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is accusing teacher David Grant, 36, of punching him during class Nov. 5., WPLG-TV in Miami reported.

The boy revealed markings on his right eye from the incident.

"I didn't notice the bruise on his eye until he came back from football practice," Jennifer Brazzel, the boy's mother told the station. "I was like, 'Ronnie, come here. What happened to your eye?'"

"He goes, 'Oh, the art teacher beat me up.' And I said, 'What do you mean, the art teacher beat you up?'" Brazzel said.

Do you believe the kid or not? This is insane!

[Nicholas]

Hrmm, not sure if I believe the kid. If that happened to me at that age I'd call my dad and he'd come break one of the teachers legs.

[Carri]

I would definately ask the football coach if anything at practice could have caused the bruise. The parent should b e able to know if their kid is on the up and up. If this was my kid I would know that this an unusual statement, I would question the kid more. I would probably call the parents of the kid sitting next to mine to hear the other side. Then if I still couldn't say yes I knew this story well and it was an accident I would probably make an appointment with the principal and teacher to discuss why my child would feel that something that "just had to be an accident" was an attack. To "solve the issue." Because I would assume that after talking to the kids near who could not back up the story the best I could get is for this teacher to be aware that I know something happened.

Now this would be only if I felt reasonably sure my child was truthful and didn't run into the pencil sharpener or such. I would have to be positive that something was making my 8 year old uncomfortable enough to say such a thing.

What do you think? Do you believe the kid? It's hard for me to say I believe the kid without knowing him. I mean someone should have seen the bruise before football practice right? But the again, could the runnung around make a starting bruise show up more?

So my answer is.... I don't know! (We need a long winded smiley for here!)

[watersprite]

take the child to face the art teacher and explain the situation to the teacher. If the child cannot look anyone in the eye, Start talking about a bully he may be dealing with.
Good luck, This is delicate situation.

[Artiste-LiLi]

This kid would be in what? third grade? My sister teaches that grade level.....the kids can be quite frustrating and irritating....some are even physically violent (ask my sister about the one that threw a chair at her and then tried to physically attack her while she was pregnant with her 3rd child)......I know many of the teachers she works with (multiple grade levels) and I can't imagine my sister or any of her teacher friends doing something like this. Though......there are many nutsy people out there and some teacher somewhere could be capable of something like this.

I don't believe the child....he just came from football practice.......I would call for a confrence with the teacher, principal and the child.

[Terra Mater]

Though I believe the child may have made the story up, I also believe it could have happened.

Abusers pick the children less likely to be believed. That way if the child reports it, less is likely to happen to them.

[Laisrean]

"Innocent until proven guilty"

I think that's the rule we should follow here. The kid says he did it, but was there any witnesses or any other evidence?

[watersprite]

This kid would be in what? third grade? My sister teaches that grade level.....the kids can be quite frustrating and irritating....some are even physically violent (ask my sister about the one that threw a chair at her and then tried to physically attack her while she was pregnant with her 3rd child)......I know many of the teachers she works with (multiple grade levels) and I can't imagine my sister or any of her teacher friends doing something like this. Though......there are many nutsy people out there and some teacher somewhere could be capable of something like this.

I don't believe the child....he just came from football practice.......I would call for a confrence with the teacher, principal and the child.

I just want to know where these obnoxious little brats come from? No kid of mine would EVER accuse a teacher like that without a full investigation. And if the little darling is lying? No priviledges for 3 months. School, homework, meals and bed. That's it.

[Miabella]

WOW after reading that story I feel like there is not enough facts or evidence proven that either the teacher or student is credible.
It just sounds like the paper itself is making a horrible scandel out of a "cry for wolf" IF the Teacher did hit the child would not the other students be proof and stating something happend . If so why does the paper not print what the other children saw. Its sad but if this teacher is Innocent its going to be hard for him to teach in any community because of the stigma already brought against him.

I think children *the wrong kind of Children* are being given way too much power. I agree no child should be abused, having grown up in a abusive enviroment I agree to this statement. But now adays children are also growing up so fast they are taking advantage of the system, losing respect for thoses around them. This bites!

[aranarose]

Okay, the kid comes home from FOOTBALL PRACTICE, and the mother questions a bruise? I'm sorry, but even at eight, kids get bruises during football practice!

[Glowy]

There in not enough info here for me. I am plan on following this story. I am interested to see if the teacher has a violent background, and if the family of the child somehow knows him. The fact that the mother seems to know he has a violent past and the police do not is fishy to me.

[aranarose]

There in not enough info here for me. I am plan on following this story. I am interested to see if the teacher has a violent background, and if the family of the child somehow knows him. The fact that the mother seems to know he has a violent past and the police do not is fishy to me.

It sounds to me like the mother is just itching to cause some trouble.

[BlackLili]

I would like to know where WND got its additional quotes from the mother. The other articles I found from news sources I trust more (don't appreciate WND's slant,) don't mention interviewing the mother, ever.

Could we possibly see another source other than WND on this with someone having spoken to the mother?

None of the following articles have her quoted anywhere::
CNN's article is here. (http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/11/25/florida.teacher.arrest/index.html)
Local WKRG news source is here. (http://www.wkrg.com/national/article/teacher_punches_elementary_student/21295)
Local Orlando Sentinel is here. (http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-teacher-assault-112608,0,3909411.story)