Padded Room Punishment
By: Meg Coyle, KING
Updated: April 25, 2012
An Olympia, Washington mom wants to learn why her 10-year-old son was
placed in a padded room at his elementary school last Friday.
Melissa Gum's son attends Garfield Elementary, where she acknowledges he's been to the principal's office before.
The school says he was sent to the principal's office Friday for being disruptive in class.
Gum said he's never been sent to a room the district refers to as "the quiet room," which is described as the size of an office with gym mats padding the walls.
It gets worse, according to Gum. She said the principal forgot about her son after the end of school and she was frantically trying to find him.
The school district said the room was set up a few years ago for students with special needs.
Gum said her son is a typical 10-year-old with no diagnosed behavioral or developmental issues.
The district said the boy was acting out, but other resource rooms were unavailable, so the principal opted to place him in the quiet room.
They also said the boy was released two minutes after the bell rang at the end of the school day on Friday.
Melissa Gum's son attends Garfield Elementary, where she acknowledges he's been to the principal's office before.
The school says he was sent to the principal's office Friday for being disruptive in class.
Gum said he's never been sent to a room the district refers to as "the quiet room," which is described as the size of an office with gym mats padding the walls.
It gets worse, according to Gum. She said the principal forgot about her son after the end of school and she was frantically trying to find him.
The school district said the room was set up a few years ago for students with special needs.
Gum said her son is a typical 10-year-old with no diagnosed behavioral or developmental issues.
The district said the boy was acting out, but other resource rooms were unavailable, so the principal opted to place him in the quiet room.
They also said the boy was released two minutes after the bell rang at the end of the school day on Friday.
