Kindergartner given detention leads to review of school polici

SENECA, Mo. -- A southwest Missouri school district is reviewing its discipline policies after a mischievous kindergartner was ordered to serve a 90-minute detention after class.

Maryann Anderson, the boy's mother, told the Seneca School Board the punishment was too severe for such a young child. Her son was 5 at the time. She suggested parents be given more say in how children are punished.

"I think we need some creative and effective discipline, and who knows our kids better than we do?" Anderson said during Thursday's board meeting.

Anderson said her son, Alex, was told to stand against a wall for a few minutes during recess for causing trouble in class, Anderson said.

Alex became bored and started throwing acorns, and accidentally struck a teacher, she said. Alex was ordered to serve a 90-minute detention after school.

Anderson believed the punishment was inappropriate. She contacted the school and was told Alex would be suspended if he didn't serve the detention.

Alex finally served a 45-minute detention. But Anderson told the school board that she believed having him pick up acorns would have been a more suitable and effective punishment.

"If he can't stand still on a wall for 15 minutes, what makes you think he's gong to do well in detention for an hour?" Anderson asked.

Anderson said she contacted 14 area schools about their discipline policies. None issues after-school detentions for kindergartners, unless it's requested by a parent, she said.

Discipline policies are left up to local school districts, said Jim Morrison, spokesman for Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Ron Wallace, high school principal in Seneca, said the district's schools review policies throughout the school year. The policies are adopted officially once a year.

Wallace said he believes parents could be involved in policy changes but suggested it be done individually for each school.