Saturday, November 22, 2008

DISABLED CHILD ADMINISTERED CORPORAL PUNISHMENT SO BADLY IT REQUIRED EMERGENCY TREATMENT: REFUGIO TEXAS: JOE RIOS, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

(sample picture of corporal punishment which has been outlawed in most states)
HOT OFF THE PRESSES: REFUGIO, TEXAS

DISABLED CHILD RECEIVED SEVERE PADDLING: INJURY TO A CHILD BY ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL RIOS?

WRITTEN BY HOMERO VILLARREAL

In the small historic town of Refugio, Texas there is trouble that could put them in the history books for a very different reason: Suspicion of repeat child abuse through corporal punishment by Assistant Principal Rios. El Defenzor, through its several day investigation has uncovered that law enforcement, hospital personnel, including Dr. Pierce, and school officials of Refugio may have intentionally or negligently delayed a priority one Child Protective Services report which is mandatory for each of these entities to do and has caused an uproar at South Texas CPS facilities.

Confidential sources in the know with the Child Protective Services Department have revealed that 72 hours went by before CPS were informed of the extent of the child’s injuries and the severe injuries to a disabled child were downplayed as a spanking by principal and superior to Joe Rios, Mrs. Lara. These injuries included multiple bruising and elevated welts that left the child reportedly in excruciating pain, severe back pain and cost him a visit to an emergency room. CPS department sources which remain anonymous indicated that the CPS investigators were in a rage that the full extent of the injuries had not been reported by all three entitie: The School, The Hospital and Law Enforcement until a local TV station broke the story. Curiously it was only then that the mother's cries for help received full attention from all of the above Refugio institutions.

Reportedly, the child’s mother did not realize that when she consented to one “lick” in lieu of having her son lose out on several days of suspension for a small altercation with another child, it would lead to physical injuries so substantial that 5 days later, welts and bruises remain and the child remains in pain and reportedly withdrawn and having night terrors.

The mother was quoted as saying, “ Principal Rios should pay for what he did. No child should have to go through that. There is a big difference between a spanking and a brutal beating. That’s what happened here. Assistant Principal Jose Rios should not be near children. Any parent doing that would be in jail right now. He told me at the beginning of the year he knew how to straighten out my son and I told him he had special needs and to let Principal Lara who was familiar with my son's disabilities handle it. Rios did it his way and look what happened. You trust these people to do the right thing and now my son is beaten so severely he can barely sit down days afterward. I discipline my children with or without spankings but you don't leave bruises, welts and damage like this. Principal Rios went crazy on my son. I demand justice for my son. Rios' apologies don't take back the physical child abuse which has happened here."

Corpus Christi Attorneys, for the boy and the mother spoke for the family in front of the major TV networks here in South Texas and echoed the mothers concern, “ This young man was beaten not spanked. There is an old saying, ‘if you hit a man it is assault, if you hit a woman it’s domestic violence, but if you hit a child it’s for their own good.' We need to look at that belief and decide when justified physical discipline becomes brutality. Here we think abuse occurred and injury to a child. Even, the school board and superintendent have not put a restraint level on how many times a child can be struck and leaves much discretion to the person administering corporal punishment and abuse and must be addressed.”

Texas is but a dozen or so states that still allows “spanking” in the schools and leaves it to the discretion of the school board on how to administer the corporal punishment. Many researchers have shown that spankings are controversial and may lead to further aggression and violence, particularly in young men. El Defenzor’s investigation reveals that the young man is named Andy, is 10 years old, four and a half feet tall and weighs about 55 pounds and the principal who gave the “three licks” is about 5’10” and over 200 pounds and was known as Coach Rios before he become assistant principal Rios at the elementary level.

Two citizens of Refugio spoke to us under anonymity and were quoted as saying, “This is not the first time parents have complained about “Coach Rios”. He hit some kids at the high school level with complaints following the beatings, but now he’s gone too far and severely beat a child that we hear is disabled and the police are dragging their feet. I guarantee if it had been a white kid with special disabilities they would never have been touched in this town. He brought his style of discipline from the high school down to the elementary school. You are not paddling 150 pound freshman football players. This was a 10 year old boy that weighed 55 pounds and we saw the result on his behind all over the news. It’s a disgrace to the Refugio school system and it looks bad on the doctors and nurses and teachers and the police who didn’t report it to CPS correctly and officially for 3 days. It took pictures on TV to make them follow the book and not sweep it under the rug.”

Refugio School Board policy is very vague but one thing is certain, the amount of force used by Assistant Principal Rios on a disabled child with ADHD, a heart condition and asthma is being seen by many throughout Texas and nationally (CNN possibly investigating) as criminal and felonious injury to a child. At the very least the school knew or should have known that this man was a threat to children because of past complaints and did nothing about Rios or the situation. Even after the mother discovered the welts and brusing and hematomas while young Andy was undressing for his bath the night of the 17th of November of this year, and reported it to police the Refugio officials apparently dragged their feet and are downplaying it as a spanking. Where is the paddle? Why didn't they report it themselves to CPS in that first 24 hours? Instead they gave the mother a card to call CPS which according to research by El Defenzor is against the law by the police officials, hospital personnel including Dr. Pierce and the school officials themselves. Incredulously, the assistant principal 4 days after the event still has not been removed from duty and based on the severe beating given a disabled child should lead CPS to see him as a danger to children.

The mother of the child, Corina Gonzalez, and the attorneys could not be reached for comment but were quoted on TV as saying that this was clear cut abuse, not a paddling. El Defenzor will be continuing this story in a 3 part edition looking into corporal punishment and the behavior of Joe Rios, the Assistant Vice Principal and whether or not he will be charged with injury to a child by the Refugio County District Attorney.

Homero Villarreal

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

I saw the pictures. This guy belongs in a prison cell who hit the kid that bad. No spanking leaves a child that injured. This is a felony. Plain and simple. This man should not be near children. Blast them HOmero and get this man out of there. I hope the family sues this guy and everyone who dropped the ball including the school and police department in Refugio. They obviously tried to cover it up.

Anonymous said...

I am all for giving a child a spanking if the behavior warrants it but this guy beat the living shit out of this child. If Rios did this to my kid I also would be asking for not only his resignation but would be pressing charges. The D.A. on this thing better not roll over! This is clear child abuse. Days later he still has welts on pictures and the child is disabled. What kind of monster is Rios?

Anonymous said...

What about the student who was tasered by the CCPD Officer David Mendoza?

Look into the facts and not the sensationalized news reported by local media who never spoke to school officials or witnesses to the incident. CCPD Chief Bryan Smit said, "In this case the taser worked beautifully". Officer Mendoza boldly asserted his actions as per CCPD Policy and when questioned by the parent as to if the student was swinging, physically aggressive or a threat to the officer the students or the faculty with the audacity only a fool would mount he said to the Parent, "If he would have been swinging, I probably would have shot him". Will El Defensor investigate? Chief Smith has assured the Family that this incident will be investigated by Internal Affairs however noting the allegations and other information one must question the objectivity of this safeguard division. Chief Smith also agreed to involve the FBI in this investigation as well. There has been no indication of any investigation being conducted as school officials and witnesses inform us that there has been no contact.

Anonymous said...

You consider ADHD and asthma a disability? HOLY CRAP! Then label over half of the kids in the Nueces County area DISABLED! Asthma is beyond prevalent here.... and ADHD (whether it is under medical managment or not) is very rampant in schools today and also in college students as well. A child having ADHD and ASTHMA considered disabled? OMG! What has this world come to! You might as well attach to the list of diabilities childhood diabetes and childhood obesity.... they are just as much a disability by your definition as asthma! GIVE ME A BREAK! Absolutely spin reporting on your part Homero.... absolutely!

And as for the TASERED student... Anonymous... STFU! Do you have any clue what teachers and staff have to endure each day? Some of these students (not to mention their parents) should be reported for bullying teachers and not just students. That student was in a charter school for inappropriate behavior as it was.... so don't go and pretend he was "innocent" in the situation. I would have personally would have rather seen him thrown to the ground and handcuffed like the thug he wants to be!

You liberals keep defending these idiots and supporting the rights of those who are bred to be trouble and see what happens in your future.... as for mine (locked and loaded) ....

Anonymous said...

What a piece of crap this principle is. I hope he gets what he deserves. He should have a big person get a board and deal him the same kind of crushing blows. Hitting is wrong, so is spanking. We tell our kids not hit, but hit them ouselves teaching them it is ok only of you are bigger than them. How can this still be legal anywhere?

Anonymous said...

What a piece of crap this principle is. I hope he gets what he deserves. He should have a big person get a board and deal him the same kind of crushing blows. Hitting is wrong, so is spanking. We tell our kids not hit, but hit them ouselves teaching them it is ok only of you are bigger than them. How can this still be legal anywhere?

Anonymous said...

I can not see how JOBs are available for proverbial sending our children to consistent threats rather than education agency paid by the state of Texas.

If the state of Texas does not "get" to educate, parents are prosecuted and transparency?

what are they being paid for?

Anonymous said...

Now I heard the family has hired a Mexican and Gringo pitbull that don't play politics to sue the living hell out of the school district. Good. Serves the asshole who beat a disabled kid with a heart condition and mental problems right. Whoever says its ok to beat the handicap should be thrown in jail as well.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous why do you have to go racial? Why does it have to be Mexican or Gringo. A lawyer is a lawyer, a cop is a cop and a teacher is a teacher. Always with race.

Anonymous said...

The student who was tasered was in a Charter School due to the insufficient supervision in the CCISD Secondary Schools. He is far from a thug. His actions required an educator to redirect him not shock therapy. The Police Report will be published as the vindication proceeds. The Officer acted in an unprofessional manner drawing the wrath of the student body. He tasered the boy because the crowd was demanding that the bullying stop. The kid never moved aggressively toward the Officer and the Officer exclaimed "if the boy would have swung at me I probably would have shot him"

The Charter School was by choice not due to removal from CCISD.

Anonymous said...

On the Tasered Student,

1. There has been no investigation this matter.

2. There is no report of this incident.

3. Federal Agencies either have been informed and acquiesce (maybe hoping it will go away) or they remain uninformed and ignorant.

4. There is a formal request requesting FBI & DOJ conduct an investigation (into the tasering incident).

5. If it is a matter so simple as the student was not innocent in the case then by all means let's prove what exactly he is guilty of and whether the use of a taser was appropriate and if so is it the way we choose to handle matters in education. Hell, if the kid doesnt do their home work ZAP! OOOOPs he got a couple of test questions wrong ZAPPPPP~! And you sir you are walking on the wrong side of the hall ZAPPP ZAP there you go a full zap and another quick zap for violating the full monte of rule,....."The Forbidden Hallway" oooooooooooooooh! "Tase em all they are being teenagers" You Got It Brother!!!!!!

Is that the way it is going to be for kids?

That means your kids, and Shamsie's kids, and every student in the Texas Eduction System. No wonder the phrase "School to Prison Pipeline".

Anonymous said...

Ping said...

The student at the center of this discussion is one of our most conscientious creative and intelligent young adults. He is a hard worker. He gets along with all of us. To say he gets along does not mean he goes along with standardized curriculum, standardized test or everyday norms. He is a great kid with love and happiness in his heart. He is outspoken and too often uses profanity but it is not intended as to disrespect. He is a very respectful kid but he also gives as he receives. Now, to the incident. The boy was in a crowded area and he was eating his bag of chips. With his mind some other place in thought he began pacing back and forth in an area technically off limits but not a big deal as long as it was just one or two students. Redirection is the answer and the Officer did redirect the student in his own rudimentary way. In my opinion it was antagonistic. He said, " what part of do not enter do you not understand?" however without expecting an answer (at least a respectful answer) he heard the student's voice and either he didnt understand or already had his mind set. The Student answered with a mouthful of chips he said, "I understand" and headed back to the designated area. As the Officer displaced his frustration snapped, "I'm tired of your sh&t" and aggressively approached the young man. The boy was not intimidated or at least did not show it. The officer responded with an angry tone informing the student he was going to receive a citation and the student ask him "for what?" "what did I do". The officer would have none of it as his anger ascended he asked the student for his name and the student ask again "what did I do", I am not going to give you my name (because) you wont tell me why you are giving me a ticket. The Officer then asked him if he wanted to go to jail and the officer said do you wanna get tased and grabbed the student (and keep in mind in the education world we are not allowed to put our hands on a student for purposes of physical control) the officer grabbed the student and with great force began to guide the students body towards the wall as if to slam him against the wall. The student countered the Officers aggression as the Officer attempted to grab the student's hand he snatched it back as if a snake had bit him. The student separated from the officer with movements of squirming and swift arm movements protecting himself from the officer's aggression. The student said "Get off of me fool" and the officer said "did you just call me a fool?" as he drew his taser. The student still chewing his chips raised up his hands in surrender (pax) and pleaded with the officer to go down and speak with the Principal. Except the student was unaware the Principal was unavailable and not on campus. The officer beckoned "did you just call me a fool?" as he drew his taser and fired. One might argue the effects of the taser as harmless and officers even have experienced the taser warm fuzzies themselves but I submit to them have they experienced the prolonged shock of the taser. Have they had the seizure and soiled themselves? This is in my eyes and in the eyes of many who witnessed it the prime example of police brutality. The chaos responded to the every move of pain or uncomfortableness the student exhibited. Then another Officer applied pepper spray to the student under his eyes while he was in the backseat of the cruiser and threatened to spray him if he made any movement at all. The adults who work at Cesar Chavez Charter Academy are not in a position to stop the wrongful acts but we can tell the truth when asked. I understand the FBI will be conducting an investigation. When this is over I believe we will see the Officer facing criminal charges. This publication must dig deeper than one facet.

Anonymous said...

dannoynted1 said...

It is ironic that an adult can taser a child but this child can not be spanked by his own parents.

If an adult is so lazy he needs to taser a child rather than debate then he can not hang unless he gets to taser children.

and for those of you who are glad to "break" a child of their autonomy, I am sure you get off to the submission of children that shows how weak you are to prey on the innocence of a child.

I promise there is a special place reserved in hell for heathens like you and your ilk.

December 15, 2008 9:56 PM

Anonymous said...

To the whiner who posted this ........

And as for the TASERED student... Anonymous... STFU! Do you have any clue what teachers and staff have to endure each day?

Get A clue, if they dont like the pay George strait has some Pcean Drive Property in Arizona he is trying to unload.

Lets taser you every time the teacher is on the computer checking her personal email.

I could swear when I was in school the teachers were afforded that time consuming luxury.
U STFU, these Texas state employees are not there for the "student" but for the summers off, the right to treat some kids shitty and not the others.

If teachers have it so bad then why are they there?

The truth is that this worthless human being tasered a minor for no reason and admitted "he would have shot him" if the taser had not worked."

I hope that he prays to our Savior the childs Mother does what Karma provides.

Shooting unarmed children for no reason? That is what you want for your people?

After all CCPD officers are not teachers but the reapers of their sowing.

Politics aside~

marco said...

SORRY,WHY IS THIS LEGAL,IF A STRANGER GRABBED YOUR KID IN A CIRCLE K,AND DID THIS,HE'D BE IN JAIL,RIGHT.I HOPE THIS CHILD'S DAD,OR SOMEONE,GETS SOME REAL MEN,AND GRABS THIS F**KING CHILD MOLESTER,STRIPS HIM NAKED,AND BEATS HIS ASS BLOODY IN FRONT OF HIS "PEERS",i pray this man goes to jail,and is gang raped,and spanked every friggin day,the pig,A DISABLED CHILD,THINK OF HIS KARMA,DOOM AND RUIN TO THE PIG AS A HUMAN

marco said...

FOR 'give me a break whiners',I AM SAD TO SAY,BUT I HOPE SOMEDAY,A KID YOU HAVE GOES THRU THIS,AND KNOWING KARMA AND JERKS LIKE YOU WHO FAIL TO SEE IT,A.K.A(PROBABLY A REPUBLICAN,ONE OF THE MANY WHO UNDER BUSH SENT 50,000 JOBS TO CHINA,WONDER WHY OUR ECONOMY IS S88t,and amassed the GREATEST DEBT 14 TRILLION IN OUR 200=history0,can't blame democrats jerk,they HAD NO POWER WITH EIGHT YRS BUSH,IT WAS ALL REPIGLICAN MAJORITY',hope your kid gets his ass blistered,YOU HYPOCRITE,YOU'LL BE THE FIRST CALLIN IN THE LAW,THE GOVERNMENT,LIKE YOU JERKS ALWAYS DO,'i am against govt,YET I AM GOVERNMENT,I AM REPUBLICAN JERK',your motto